New Year's Eve Bash - Explore Big Sky
New Year's Eve Bash - Explore Big Sky
New Year's Eve Bash - Explore Big Sky
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explorebigsky.com <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>’s Locally Owned & Published <strong>New</strong>spaper explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
December 16, 2011<br />
Volume 2 // Issue #22<br />
Happy<br />
Holidays<br />
state budget surplus<br />
eStimated at $426.7 miLLion<br />
Photo: Lucy Stratford talks to Santa at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>'s Christmas Stroll<br />
pierre family<br />
fundraiser:<br />
december 26<br />
big sky Hockey<br />
media@theoutlawpartners.com
December 16, 2011<br />
Volume 2, Issue 22<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
Eric Ladd<br />
COO & SENIOR EDITOR<br />
Megan Paulson<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
Mike Martins<br />
MANAGING EDITOR<br />
Emily Stifler<br />
GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
Kelsey Dzintars<br />
EDITOR<br />
Abbie Digel<br />
PuBLiSher of the<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> WeekLy<br />
2011 <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
ChamBer of CommerCe<br />
business of tHe year<br />
ASSISTANT EDITOR<br />
Taylor Anderson<br />
SALES DIRECTOR<br />
Frank Jordan<br />
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR<br />
Danielle Chamberlain<br />
VIDEOGRAPHER<br />
Brian Niles<br />
VIDEOGRAPHER/DESIGNER<br />
Chris Davis<br />
ACCOUNT RELATIONS COORDINATOR<br />
Kacey Brown<br />
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR<br />
Katie Morrison<br />
coNTrIbuTors<br />
Josh Allen, Greg Allred, Erin Bills, <strong>Eve</strong>lyn Boswell, Anne<br />
Cantrell, Crystal Images, Jamie Daugaard, Brent Day,<br />
William Farhat, Denver Fowler, Julia Gustafson, Allyson<br />
Hagen, Marcie Hahn-Knoff, Brian Hurlbut, Jamie Kujawa,<br />
Ellen-Therese Lamm, Joe Miller, William Mendoza, Brandon<br />
Niles, Eric Ross, Greer Schott and Diane Tipton<br />
eDITorIal PolIcy<br />
Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Weekly. No part of this publication may be reprinted<br />
without written permission from the publisher. The <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong> Weekly reserves the right to edit all submitted material<br />
for content, corrections or length. Printed material reflects<br />
the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion<br />
of Outlaw Partners or the editors of this publication. No<br />
advertisements, columns, letters to the editor or other<br />
information will be published that contain discrimination<br />
based on sex, age, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual<br />
preference, or are in bad taste.<br />
leTTer To The eDITor ParameTers<br />
This is a platform for readers to express views and share ways<br />
they would like to effect change. The Weekly will run letters,<br />
positive or negative, of 250 words or less that are respectful,<br />
ethical, state accurate facts and figures, and are proofread for<br />
grammar and content. We reserve the right to edit letters.<br />
Please include: first and last name, address, phone number and<br />
title. Send letters to emily@theoutlawpartners.com.<br />
aDVerTIsING DeaDlINe For<br />
December 30 Issue:<br />
December 23<br />
correcTIoNs<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve<br />
printed. Please report them to<br />
emily@theoutlawpartners.com<br />
© 2011 The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Unauthorized reproduction prohibited<br />
2 december 16, 2011 explorebigsky.com<br />
table of contents<br />
Community...4<br />
LoCaL neWS...6<br />
regionaL...9<br />
montana...12<br />
CoLLage...17<br />
heaLth...19<br />
BuSineSS...21<br />
CLaSSifiedS...24<br />
arChiteCture...27<br />
reaL eState...29<br />
gaLLery...33<br />
SPortS...37<br />
SCienCe...41<br />
gear revieW...44<br />
outdoorS...46<br />
BaCk 40...48<br />
entertainment...49<br />
Beer...51<br />
Word from the reSortS...52<br />
eventS...54<br />
fun...56<br />
ouTlaW ParTNers &<br />
The bIG sKy WeeKly<br />
P.O. Box 160250, <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, MT 59716<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
(406) 995-2055<br />
media@theoutlawpartners.com<br />
Johnny “rad” marshall shot this awesome<br />
photo for the dec. 2 Weekly cover. We<br />
forgot to credit him and wanted to give a<br />
shout out. thanks, Johnny!<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly exclusive distribution<br />
and placement<br />
explorebigsky<br />
explorebigsky<br />
Happy Holidays!<br />
On behalf of the entire Outlaw Partners team, I’d like to wish you a happy holiday season. Here at Outlaw we have<br />
much to be thankful for and appreciate all of your support as we’ve grown. Each Outlaw employee has chosen a charity<br />
to which we’ll donate money. In addition, we’ll market these worthy causes through our media. Below is a list of all the<br />
organizations we’re supporting this year. Thank you, and let it snow! -Eric Ladd<br />
Eric Ladd: Owner<br />
Charity Water charitywater.org<br />
Mike Martins: Creative Director<br />
M.A.E.R.A. montanaawareness.com<br />
Chris Davis: Videographer<br />
Partners in Health pih.org<br />
Emily Stifler: Managing Editor<br />
HAVEN havenmt.org<br />
Taylor Anderson: Assistant Editor<br />
Cloudbase Foundation thecloudbasefoundation.org<br />
Kacey Brown: Account Relations Coordinator<br />
Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter<br />
heartofthevalleyshelter.org<br />
Danielle Chamberlin: Distribution Director<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Search and Rescue bssar.org<br />
featured distribution point of the<br />
week: kagy Corner<br />
Don’t be afraid of the butler, he’s not real. But just like everyone else who works at<br />
Kagy Korner convenience store, he’s friendly.<br />
Located on the corner of Kagy and Tracy in southeast Bozeman, Kagy Korner has<br />
long been a spot for morning coffee drinkers to sit and talk. The store serves the<br />
growing needs of the southeast community, where recent development, including<br />
the new Town and Country, are bringing more activity to this side of the town.<br />
One of the coolest things about Kagy Korner is their milkshake machine, where<br />
you can choose from flavors and mix your own shake. Check it out the next time<br />
you pass by and don't forget to pick up the current edition of the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
newspaper. - Danielle Chamberlain<br />
• 6,000 - 8,000 editions distributed across Montana<br />
• Online at explorebigsky.com<br />
• 3,000 + rental properties<br />
• 2,500 + <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> taxi rides<br />
• Hotels and resorts throughout Southwest Montana<br />
• Subscriptions distributed to 32 states<br />
Hi<br />
Megan Paulson: COO<br />
Love Inc. loveincgc.org<br />
Daniel Bullock: Staff Photographer, Videographer<br />
Sulfur Springs Animal Shelter<br />
petfinder.com/shelters/oK330.html<br />
Kelsey Dzintars: Senior Graphic Designer<br />
Gallatin Valley Food Bank<br />
gallatinvalleyfoodbank.org<br />
Katie Morrison: Operations Director<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Community Corporation<br />
bsccmt.org<br />
Abbie Digel: Editor<br />
Planned Parenthood of Montana<br />
plannedparenthood.org/montana<br />
Brian Niles: Director of Video Production<br />
Ten Friends Project tenfriends.org<br />
bc<br />
ak<br />
Anaconda<br />
Hamilton<br />
Bozeman <strong>Big</strong> Timber<br />
Three Forks<br />
Livingston<br />
Wisdom<br />
Dillon<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Ennis<br />
Virginia City Gardiner<br />
West Yellowstone
Signature<br />
the<br />
Group<br />
2 0 1 1<br />
SIGNATURE<br />
Alpine Meadows Chalet<br />
#76, Seller a 17 Renegade<br />
Rd at Cowboy Heaven, Buyer<br />
a 17 Renegade Rd at Cowboy<br />
Heaven, Seller a Westfork Lot 6,<br />
Seller a 1792 Little Coyote, Buyer a<br />
Yellowstone Club Andesite Ridge Lot 46,<br />
Buyer a Saddle Ridge Townhome U-1, Seller a<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 131, Seller a 10 Hackamore<br />
Diamond Hitch, Seller a Powder Ridge Cabin 130, Seller<br />
a Cascade Home Site 126A, Buyer a 820 Elk Meadow Trail<br />
at The Club at Spanish Peaks, Seller a 98 Limber Pine, Seller<br />
a Yellowstone Club 160 Acre Compound, Seller a Diamond<br />
Hitch Lot 20, Buyer a Pines Condominium F-2, Buyer a Moonlight<br />
Mountain Home 47, Seller a Moonlight Mountain Home, 47 Buyer a<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Saddle Ridge Townhome C-2, Seller a Saddle Ridge Townhome C-2, Buyer a<br />
Cascade Highlands Home Site 168A, Buyer a Beavercreek West Lot 22B, Buyer<br />
a 500 Beaver Creek Road, Seller a Yellowstone Club Andesite Ridge 123, Buyer a<br />
Cowboy Heaven Luxury Suite 2C, Buyer a Cowboy Heaven Luxury Suite 2C, Seller a<br />
Saddle Ridge Townhome D-2, Seller a Moonlight Mountain Home 60, Buyer a Buck Ridge<br />
Ranch Lot 12, Buyer a Buck Ridge Ranch Lot 12, Seller a Cowboy Heaven Cabin 11, Seller a<br />
170 Gray Owl, Buyer a 126 Diamond Hitch, Moonlight Basin, Buyer a 126 Diamond Hitch, Moonlight<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>’s Top Producing Real Estate Team<br />
Basin, Seller a 6A<br />
Firelight Condominium,<br />
Seller a 49<br />
Candlelight, Buyer a<br />
Saddle Ridge B-2, Buyer<br />
happy holidays and thank you to clients past and present<br />
Branif Scott<br />
Broker<br />
406.579.9599<br />
branif@purewestproperties.com<br />
Ania Bulis<br />
Broker<br />
406.580.6852<br />
aniabulis@hotmail.com<br />
GROUP SALES<br />
Jason Parks<br />
Broker<br />
406.580.4758<br />
jason@purewestproperties.com<br />
To become a part of our 2012 Tree,<br />
Call or visit us at www.realestateofbigsky.com<br />
Bring family & friends and join<br />
us on December 29th at the<br />
Moonlight Lodge Bar from<br />
6-8 p.m for some holiday cheer!
Community<br />
Beehive Basin in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> is one of<br />
Southwest Montana’s finest trailheads,<br />
both winter and summer.<br />
Starting at 7,800 feet, it allows access<br />
to terrain spanning the spectrum<br />
from mellow hiking to serious ski<br />
mountaineering.<br />
But as the private land surrounding<br />
the trailhead has been developed<br />
in the last decade, there have been<br />
increasing user conflicts in the area.<br />
This is private land, and backcountry<br />
users have been given tickets for<br />
trespassing here.<br />
The first half-mile of the trail (F.S.<br />
trail #40) crosses through private land<br />
on its way to National Forest and wil-<br />
4 december 16, 2011<br />
derness land. Wooden posts with trail<br />
blazes mark the 20-foot wide public<br />
easement through the meadows, and<br />
a trail corridor is cut through the<br />
trees.<br />
The various other trails that leave<br />
from the trailhead are all on private<br />
land. This includes a popular skin<br />
track that winds up a wooded ridge<br />
on the north side of the basin, as well<br />
as the jumps that are often built in<br />
this area.<br />
“We want [people] to follow the<br />
trails(s) to the public land and then<br />
have a ‘ball’,” said Corey Bronstein, a<br />
Beehive Basin Homeowners Association<br />
board member. He also wants<br />
to remind backcountry users about<br />
avalanche danger in the basin: “It is<br />
real and quite dangerous.”<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Although the BBHOA doesn’t own<br />
the road, it plows a mile prior to<br />
its private gates. The cost to plow<br />
from October to June is about<br />
$25,000-$30,000, Bronstein said.<br />
The association covers all of it, and<br />
since the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Owners Association<br />
doesn’t participate, there is no<br />
financial burden for the local community,<br />
he said.<br />
The trailhead this year has reduced<br />
parking capacity due to a culvert<br />
replacement project paid for by<br />
homeowners and the Forest Service.<br />
The project wasn’t finished due<br />
to October snowfall, according to<br />
Jonathan Kempff, the lead engineer<br />
for the Gallatin National Forest.<br />
Because there will only be room for<br />
a few cars to park there this winter,<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
respect at beehive basin trailhead will allow continued access<br />
Construction will limit parking this winter<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
b I G s K y a r e a<br />
Christmas Services<br />
Dec. 24 chrIsTmas eVe serVIces<br />
5 p.m. <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Christian Fellowship at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chapel<br />
8 p.m. Candlelight Service of Carols and Lessons All Saints in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
(A shared ministry of the Episcopal and Lutheran (ELCA) Churches)<br />
at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chapel<br />
5 p.m. St. Joseph's Catholic Mass at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort Yellowstone<br />
Conference Center<br />
5:30 p.m. Christmas <strong>Eve</strong> service at Moonlight Lodge<br />
Dec. 25 chrIsTmas Day serVIces<br />
8 a.m. St. Joseph's Catholic Mass at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chapel<br />
9:30 a.m. All Saints in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chapel<br />
11 a.m. <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Christian Fellowship<br />
bigskychapel.com (406) 995-3336<br />
big sky community library news<br />
Holiday Hours:<br />
the library will be open during Christmas break. it will be closed<br />
Sunday, dec. 25 and monday, dec. 26 and will resume regular<br />
hours on tuesday, dec. 27 from 4 - 8 p.m..<br />
library Holiday open House:<br />
Join the friends of the Library on Sunday, dec. 18 at 2 p.m. for their<br />
annual holiday open house. a special guest will be appearing! this<br />
event is free and open to the public.<br />
Kempff suggested backcountry<br />
users ski from the lower trailhead<br />
parking in the highway turnout,<br />
which adds several miles for skiers<br />
looking to tour out of the basin.<br />
Road paving, rebuilding the parking<br />
lot, seeding, signing and other<br />
cleanup will likely resume in June,<br />
Kempff said, and ultimately the lot<br />
will be expanded and have room for<br />
eight or nine vehicles.<br />
Bronstein requested that users not<br />
park on the steep hill just before<br />
the lot, which makes it difficult for<br />
emergency vehicles to pass through.<br />
Other Beehive trailhead parking<br />
ethics: don’t block others in, and<br />
don’t park in front of the gate.<br />
Make-a-Wish foundation<br />
needs air miles<br />
The Make-A-Wish Foundation needs busy travelers to donate air miles this<br />
holiday season. Serving all 56 counties in Montana, the nonprofit grants wishes<br />
to children with life-threatening medical conditions.<br />
Travel is the biggest expense for wishes granted by the foundation. Miles from<br />
Delta, U.S. Airways, Continental and United are eligible; once donated, the<br />
miles never expire. montana.wish.org or (877) 574-9474<br />
northWestern energy looking for<br />
2012 charitable partner<br />
NorthWestern Energy’s Charitable<br />
Giving Program is seeking proposals<br />
from nonprofits to partner with the<br />
utility company’s employee volunteer<br />
effort for the upcoming year.<br />
Partner organizations receive a<br />
$25,000 donation; associated events<br />
typically raise an additional $25-<br />
30,000. Previous partners include the<br />
March of Dimes’ Walk for Babies, the<br />
corrections<br />
American Cancer Society’s Relay for<br />
Life, and Special Olympics.<br />
Nonprofit organizations with affiliates<br />
in Montana, South Dakota<br />
and Nebraska can apply. Organizations<br />
must provide opportunities<br />
and support for employee volunteer<br />
engagement. Proposals due Dec. 28.<br />
northwesternenergy.com (keyword:<br />
charitable giving program)<br />
In the Nov. 18 Weekly, Sharlyn Izurieta wrote that the TTF hosted Chirgilchin,<br />
a four-member group of throat singers from Mongolia in Bozeman. The concert<br />
was actually hosted by the Bozeman Folklore Society and the Ellen Theater.<br />
In the Dec. 2 Weekly special gift guide,<br />
we reported that Brewies 100 percent<br />
Organic Dog Treats, made in Bozeman,<br />
are "made from left over beer hops." This is<br />
untrue—hops are not in Brewies products<br />
at any level, and are poisonous to dogs.<br />
Brewies products are made from malted beer barley, and are available in Montana,<br />
Vermont and Illinois. The homemade treats are made with care, and take<br />
6-7 hours per batch, from crushing and mashing the malt barley, to pulling them<br />
from the oven.<br />
The best part about Brewies? What other treat allows you to share in the fun of<br />
having a cold one with your best friend?
Community<br />
letter: BSSef fundraiser a success<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Ski Education Foundation’s fundraiser, "Raising Cash with Cold<br />
Hard Cash," hosted by Buck's T-4 on Dec. 10 was a resounding success. The event<br />
was successful in raising funds, and more importantly, it was a terrific way for the<br />
team to connect with the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> community and kick-off the ski season.<br />
The success of this event required the hard work of numerous volunteers, plus<br />
the generous contributions of auction items from many individuals and businesses<br />
throughout the community. Please help me extend special thanks to all<br />
those helped.<br />
With this event being such a great success, the BSSEF has targeted Dec. 8, 2012,<br />
for next year’s season kick off and hope that you will join us then.<br />
See you on the slopes!<br />
Kindly,<br />
Peter Bedell, <strong>Eve</strong>nt Director<br />
BSSEF Board Member<br />
don’t miss the gallatin Valley<br />
coat and boot drive<br />
The first annual Gallatin Valley coat and boot drive is accepting gently used<br />
winter coats and boots through the end of the year. Drop off points are in<br />
Bozeman at Bob Wards (N. 19th) and First Montana Bank (N. 19th Ave. and<br />
Oak St.). Gallatin Laundry will clean the coats give them to HRDC/Head<br />
Start for distribution to families in need. Mountain 107.7 FM helped organize<br />
the effort.<br />
big sky fire department<br />
happenings<br />
By WiLLiam farhat<br />
big sky Fire ChieF<br />
I’m new to <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, and am enjoying getting to know my co-workers at the<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Fire Department and learning about the community. As part of this<br />
process, I’d like the community to know more about the BSFD, and thought I<br />
should share some of my own background.<br />
I first started as a volunteer in southwestern Michigan in 1989, and continued<br />
as a firefighter, captain and chief officer until 2008. I worked as<br />
a paramedic for municipal ambulance services then spent 13 years in law<br />
enforcement in the Vail, Colo. area, and then back in Michigan. These law<br />
enforcement positions also included fire investigation and hazardous materials<br />
team duties, which allowed me to blend my full time work and volunteer<br />
responsibilities throughout my career.<br />
In 2006, I joined the University of Notre Dame Fire Department and became<br />
chief two years later. NDFD was an interesting mix of fire service and<br />
emergency medical responsibilities, building inspection, and fire detection<br />
and suppression needs, along with special event coverage for up to 110,000<br />
people during home football games. While appreciating the challenges of<br />
this position, I realized I wanted to return to a more rural setting and be more<br />
involved with the operations of a department rather than be an administrator<br />
within a large organization.<br />
In <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, I’m able to fulfill that desire and live in a great setting to raise a<br />
family. My wife Beth and I have our four daughters enrolled in Ophir School.<br />
I’m proud to be part of BSFD, a very professional organization with a history<br />
of exemplary service.<br />
In future articles, I hope to share who we are, what we do, and provide information<br />
regarding fire safety, current events and related items. In the meantime,<br />
additional information can be found on our website bigskyfire.org and<br />
our Facebook page.<br />
Chief Farhat became fire chief of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> in September 2011. He can be<br />
reached at 995-2100 or wfarhat@bigskyfire.org.<br />
explorebigsky.com <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
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minutes to take our online survey, but the benefits could last for generations.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
december 16, 2011 5
LoCaL neWS<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Community Corporation received a<br />
little boost Tuesday toward creating the second<br />
annual <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> PBR event.<br />
To the tune of $12,201.35, the BSCC was<br />
granted—among seven other recipients—was<br />
granted money from the Montana Department<br />
of Commerce Special <strong>Eve</strong>nts Grant Program.<br />
BSCC was the eighth and final group to receive<br />
part or all of the requested money. 20 applicants<br />
didn’t receive any grant funds.<br />
Eric Ladd, who helped coordinate the event<br />
last summer, said he was glad to see statewide<br />
recognition after the first PBR.<br />
“It’s a wonderful community event for <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong>,” he said. “It’s nice to see the state recognize<br />
it and help make it a bigger event next<br />
year.”<br />
The West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce,<br />
two groups from Kalispell and Helena, and<br />
groups from Great Falls and Hobson each received<br />
grants to execute their tourism-boosting events.<br />
The Office of Tourism website says the purpose<br />
of the program “is to diversify and enrich Montana’s<br />
tourism product by developing new and<br />
enhancing existing community-based tourism<br />
6 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
festivals and events. The goal of SEGP is to create<br />
and sustain economic development through the<br />
advertising and promotion of “hallmark events.”<br />
In total, $100,000 was awarded to the eight<br />
groups, up $20,000 from the previous year.<br />
The commerce department received more than<br />
$400,000 in requests.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
big sky pbr receives $12k for repeat event<br />
By tayLor anderSon<br />
big sky weekly assistant editor<br />
More than $500k raised at<br />
spanish peaks vehicle auction<br />
trustee begins liquidation process<br />
with 54-vehicle sale<br />
By tayLor anderSon<br />
big sky weekly assistant editor<br />
More than 250 people filed into the lodge at the now-defunct Spanish<br />
Peaks resort to bid on the remaining vehicles once used at the club.<br />
The 54 vehicles included pickups, SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles and trailers,<br />
and drew crowds from as far as <strong>New</strong> York to bid on cars at discounted<br />
prices.<br />
In total, the vehicles, including a few that didn’t start, went for more than<br />
$550,000 after a 15 percent buyer premium was added to purchases.<br />
The sale represents more than cheap Chevys. The sale means those<br />
representing the now closed resort have begun liquidating the estimated<br />
$10-$50 million in assets to pay off a list of debtors valued as much as<br />
10 times that much.<br />
Several Spanish Peaks members bid on items during the sale. One was<br />
quoted as saying, “It was sad to see them sold, but hopefully we can find<br />
a new owner who can return the luster to what was once a great club.”<br />
Also present in the audience Dec. 13 was the trustee, in from <strong>New</strong> York<br />
City, to oversee the sale. He said the representatives are in the process of<br />
finding a brokerage to market and hopefully sell the property.<br />
Meanwhile, it’s unclear whether anything else would be sold to pay<br />
creditors. The trustee was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying<br />
Spanish Peaks Holdings, which owned the club, had just $27,000 in<br />
cash, with as much as $500 million in debt (although some estimates are<br />
as low as $50 million).<br />
By aBBie digeL<br />
big sky weekly editor<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chamber hosted its semiannual<br />
Town Hall meeting on Dec. 7,<br />
in the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chapel. Started last year,<br />
the Town Hall meetings allow local<br />
organizations to present on a variety of<br />
projects, including community marketing,<br />
organizational improvements and<br />
working initiatives.<br />
About 50 people attended the Town<br />
Hall meeting. “It was a good turnout,<br />
but we always hope for more,” said<br />
membership director Robin Brower-<br />
McBride.<br />
This was Marne Hayes’s last Town Hall<br />
meeting as the chamber's executive<br />
director. Her final day at the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Chamber of Commerce is Dec. 20. The<br />
top candidates for her position were<br />
interviewed on Dec. 13 at the Board of<br />
Directors’ meeting. There will be an<br />
opportunity for full public interaction<br />
with the top and final candidates during<br />
their final interviews.<br />
The board hopes to have a new director<br />
by the end of this month and starting<br />
within the first few weeks of January.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Money must be spent on media marketing at least 100<br />
miles outside of the recipient's town. Last year, the <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong> PBR received $12,000 total in government funding<br />
from the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort Tax Board.<br />
Grant recipients were decided based on an 800-point<br />
scale. The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> PBR received 671 points, 27 more<br />
than the next group—the cutoff for grant recipients.<br />
billings marketing group to revamp<br />
big sky's brand<br />
Cowboy hall of fame and <strong>Big</strong>gest Skiing in america<br />
campaign also discussed at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chamber’s town<br />
hall meeting<br />
The chamber is looking for part time<br />
help to assist Brower-McBride with<br />
administrative responsibilities between<br />
the few weeks after Hayes leaves and a<br />
new director is hired.<br />
The chamber recently chose the<br />
Billings-based A.D. Creative Group to<br />
assist in development and implementation<br />
of a strategic planning, marketing<br />
and branding initiative to identify and<br />
promote <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> as a travel destination.<br />
A.D. Creative Group has hosted two<br />
private meetings in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, and plans<br />
to conduct more through December and<br />
early January that will be open to the<br />
public. Contact the chamber of commerce<br />
for more details at (406) 995-<br />
3000<br />
Hayes also discussed improvements to<br />
the <strong>Big</strong>gest Skiing in America campaign.<br />
Ryan Hamilton and Eric Ladd,<br />
both of the Cowboy Hall of Fame and<br />
Montana Western Heritage center committee,<br />
spoke of the success of their<br />
final round interview with the CHF<br />
and MWHC board. The home of the<br />
facility will be announced by the end of<br />
January.
By Joe miLLer<br />
big sky XC<br />
Planning for the fourth <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> XC<br />
motorcycle race is quietly building on<br />
last year’s successes.<br />
The off road motorcycle race hosted<br />
by <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort set its 2012 dates<br />
for Aug. 25-26, and secured a new title<br />
sponsor, Kenda Tires. This allows a<br />
larger pro purse and<br />
expanded regional<br />
and national marketing<br />
efforts.<br />
The event has grown<br />
since the first race in<br />
2009. Last August<br />
20 states and two<br />
Canadian provinces<br />
were represented at<br />
the 2011 event, and<br />
racers traveled from<br />
Florida and <strong>New</strong><br />
Jersey.<br />
Kenda’s involvement,<br />
and $10,000 pro<br />
purse, will help build<br />
it into a major economic<br />
impact during<br />
summer in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>.<br />
The race weekend has<br />
two major components.<br />
The amateur<br />
race classes represent<br />
95 percent of the<br />
participants, and <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong> XC is becoming a<br />
marquee event for as-<br />
LoCaL neWS<br />
nominate an outstanding volunteer<br />
By JuLia guStafSon<br />
governor’s oFFiCe oF<br />
Community serviCe<br />
The Governor’s Office of Community<br />
Service, in partnership with<br />
First Lady Nancy Schweitzer and the<br />
Montana Commission on Community<br />
Service, is accepting nominations<br />
for outstanding public volunteers.<br />
Nominations are due Dec. 21.<br />
Categories include:<br />
servemontana awards are for<br />
service and volunteer work in the<br />
areas of education, healthy futures,<br />
environmental stewardship, veterans<br />
and military families and economic<br />
opportunity.<br />
new sponsor for big sky Xc in 2012<br />
350 fans came to event last august<br />
piring racers looking to build a resume<br />
and attract sponsors.<br />
The second part of the weekend is<br />
the professional race class. The purse<br />
increase (up from $5,000) will draw<br />
a larger pool of top racers. In turn,<br />
these high-level racers draw more<br />
spectators.<br />
bigskyxc.com.<br />
Photo By CryStaL imageS<br />
readymontana awards are for<br />
service specifically related to disaster<br />
services, emergency preparedness and<br />
emergency response.<br />
First lady's math and science<br />
awards are for outstanding individuals,<br />
organizations and businesses that<br />
promote math and science education<br />
in Montana.<br />
All Montanans, including National<br />
Service members, are eligible for<br />
nomination. The Lt. Governor and<br />
First Lady will present these awards<br />
at the ServeMontana Symposium<br />
luncheon. The 2012 ServeMontana<br />
Symposium will be held Feb. 23 and<br />
24 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel<br />
in Helena. Registration will open in<br />
January.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Integrity.<br />
Vision.<br />
Craft.<br />
406-995-2174<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
To view a video tour of this property visit:<br />
continentalconstruction.com/montana<br />
explorebigsky.com december 16, 2011 7
photo courtesy of travis andersen // travisandersenphotography.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
J A M I E P I E R R E F A M I L Y<br />
F U N D R A I S E R<br />
DECEMBER<br />
26<br />
7:00 PM<br />
Please contact Doug<br />
Timm or Outlaw<br />
Partners to donate<br />
items for auction.<br />
581-0142<br />
OR<br />
cash donations<br />
can be made<br />
at Wells Fargo:<br />
Jamie Pierre<br />
Memorial Fund<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
AT BUCK’S T-4 LODGE, BIG SKY, MONTANA<br />
MIN. $10 DONATION<br />
SILENT AUCTION<br />
& FOOD<br />
FROM<br />
LOCAL<br />
RESTAURANTS<br />
100%<br />
of the proceeds benefit<br />
the PIERRE FAMILY<br />
The food will include<br />
a “DINE AROUND”<br />
format with food from<br />
numerous restaurants in<br />
the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> area<br />
visit explorebigsky.com for more information<br />
Jamie Pierre<br />
1 973 - 2 0 1 1
egionaL<br />
big sky makes 1,000 places to<br />
see before you die<br />
In her recent sequel to the first edition<br />
of 1,000 Places to See Before You<br />
Die, Patricia Schultz included <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong>, Mont.<br />
The travel author praises what she<br />
calls “mountain bliss without the<br />
crowds,” stating that the resorts’ average<br />
two skiers per acre is something<br />
not to be missed.<br />
“Much of the annual 400-plus inches<br />
of snowfall is the bone-dry talc<br />
reverently called ‘cold smoke,’” the<br />
passage reads. (She may have mixed<br />
up our rocks with the snow, but hey,<br />
she went big.)<br />
montana Fish, wildliFe and Parks<br />
Five volunteer positions are open on<br />
the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 3<br />
Citizens’ Advisory Committee. The<br />
committee helps FWP achieve its goals<br />
in Southwest Montana by sharing information,<br />
ideas, emerging trends, and<br />
initiatives from the public. Half-day<br />
meetings are held quarterly in Bozeman.<br />
FWP is interested in candidates representing<br />
various interests, including<br />
hunters, anglers, landowners, trappers,<br />
outdoor recreationists, conservationists<br />
and the general public. The functions<br />
of the advisory committee are:<br />
• Help promote Montana’s hunting,<br />
fishing, trapping and outdoor<br />
recreation traditions<br />
• Give citizens direct input into<br />
FWP decisions<br />
Photo By eriC roSS<br />
Schultz advises not missing Lone<br />
Mountain Ranch from January-February<br />
for cross-country skiing.<br />
Her list also mentions staying at<br />
the <strong>Big</strong> EZ Lodge and trying the<br />
restaurant’s “Rocky Mountain-style<br />
cuisine.”<br />
The book has no shortage of Montana<br />
throughout, including mentions of<br />
Darby, Glacier National Park and <strong>Big</strong><br />
Hole Country. But the inclusion of<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> could have readers flocking to<br />
town and perhaps never leaving. T.a.<br />
region 3 fWp seeks applicants<br />
for citizens’ advisory committee<br />
• Provide a forum for communication<br />
with neighboring communities<br />
• Help FWP maintain and improve<br />
responsiveness to the<br />
public<br />
• Help identify emerging issues<br />
• Provide advice and perspective<br />
on resource and management<br />
issues<br />
• Assist with crafting local, sustainable<br />
solutions on regional<br />
and statewide issues<br />
To obtain an application, visit the<br />
FWP Region 3 office at 1400 S.<br />
19th Ave. in Bozeman, call (406)<br />
994-4042, or email anjones@mt.gov.<br />
Applications due Jan. 13.<br />
big sky weekly wire serviCes<br />
The interim winter strategy in effect<br />
for the Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn<br />
Wilderness Study Area will remain in<br />
effect following last week’s court ruling<br />
by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.<br />
Responding to the initial ruling by<br />
Judge Molloy, snowmobiles within<br />
the WSA are constricted to the <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong> Snowmobile Trail and an open<br />
“play” area for cross-country travel near<br />
Golden Trout Lakes and areas west of<br />
Windy Pass.<br />
The court said the volume of motorized<br />
use depends on if a WSA provides<br />
“outstanding opportunities for solitude”,<br />
a factor found in the Wilderness<br />
Act’s definition of wilderness.<br />
The court endorsed Forest Service<br />
arguments that the Travel Management<br />
Plan doesn’t need to replicate the 1977<br />
conditions precisely, as long as the<br />
forest maintains the overall wilderness<br />
character of the WSA.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Wilderness study area remains in<br />
effect following court ruling<br />
much of the central gallatin range<br />
off-limits to snowmobiles<br />
The court concluded “an area’s ability<br />
to provide solitude depends on a<br />
current user’s perception of other users<br />
around them—not just on the physical<br />
characteristics of the land,” and that the<br />
Forest Service’s analysis of the physical<br />
factors failed to grapple with this important<br />
aspect of wilderness character.<br />
The Wilderness Study Area was<br />
designated by the Montana Wilderness<br />
Study Act of 1977 and is managed to allow<br />
uses occurring in 1977 while maintaining<br />
the area’s wilderness character.<br />
The Forest Service will use the court’s<br />
decision moving forward with management<br />
of the WSA.<br />
Mary Erickson, Custer and Gallatin<br />
Forest Supervisor, acknowledged “the<br />
frustration felt by most people involved<br />
in this issue, including ourselves.” By<br />
leaving the interim strategy in place,<br />
the forest aims to give everyone time to<br />
work through the court’s ruling.<br />
The travel plan for national forest land<br />
outside the WSA remains in place.<br />
december 16, 2011 9
10 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
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eric.ossorio@prumt.com<br />
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With 19 years of local expertise, Eric and Stacy Ossorio are committed real estate professionals. They have an exceptional<br />
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them they will share with you their expertise to help you make the best real estate choice for your family and lifestyle.<br />
Real Estate Group<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly
egionaL<br />
bozeman airport to open<br />
direct flight from <strong>New</strong> York<br />
Board votes to change name<br />
from gallatin field airport<br />
BOZEMAN, MT<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
A coalition including Gallatin Field<br />
Airport, the ski resorts in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
and other regional businesses recently<br />
received a bid from an airline<br />
for the proposed non-stop flight<br />
between <strong>New</strong> York and Bozeman.<br />
They wouldn’t say which airline<br />
submitted the bid.<br />
With $1.6 million on hand to<br />
fund the flight route for its first<br />
two years, the group is optimistic,<br />
says Scott Humphrey, the airport’s<br />
deputy director.<br />
Negotiations with the airline,<br />
which start mid-December, should<br />
take four to six weeks, Humphrey<br />
said. Days of service and the<br />
amount of revenue guaranteed to<br />
the airline are yet to be determined.<br />
The more flights per week, the<br />
more revenue the service will bring<br />
in.<br />
“It’s going to come down to frequency,”<br />
Humphrey said. “It’s balancing<br />
[how much funding] the collation<br />
can put forth to the airline,<br />
versus the airline’s cost to operate<br />
the service and the revenue they’re<br />
going to require for each flight.”<br />
“Here’s the goal: To sell the June<br />
2012 seats, we want this flight for<br />
sale, in the system, by February<br />
2012,” said Meg O’Leary, <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>’s<br />
Director of Sales and Marketing<br />
and a member of the coalition.<br />
If the coalition and the airline can<br />
come to terms on that timeframe,<br />
NEW YORK, NY<br />
Humphrey says, they could have<br />
the service by June 2012.<br />
Funding has come from a Department<br />
of Transportation grant and<br />
private contributions. Gallatin<br />
Field Airport already has flights to<br />
Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles,<br />
Salt Lake City and Seattle.<br />
The Gallatin Airport Authority<br />
board also voted in December to<br />
change the facility name to Bozeman<br />
Yellowstone International<br />
Airport at Gallatin Field.<br />
This tongue twister will help align<br />
the airport with the constituent<br />
that travels here, Humphrey said.<br />
The new name will associate the<br />
facility with Bozeman, its largest<br />
population center, and with Yellowstone<br />
Park, the largest draw for<br />
travelers coming from out of state.<br />
“It’s really to compete with Jackson<br />
Hole, Cody, Billings and Salt Lake<br />
City,” he said.<br />
About 65 percent of travelers that<br />
fly into Gallatin Field come from<br />
out of state, and the airport is trying<br />
to position itself as the premier<br />
gateway to Yellowstone, Humphrey<br />
added, pointing out it’s situated 90<br />
minutes from two year-round park<br />
entrances.<br />
These changes follow on the heels<br />
of a two-year $40 million airport<br />
expansion completed this past July.<br />
The new terminal added about<br />
125,000 square feet to the existing<br />
building, making the airport the<br />
largest in Montana.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
moonlightbasin.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Come visit the new<br />
Jack Creek Grille and Bar<br />
L O C A T E D A T M O O N L I G H T L O D G E<br />
D I N I N G R O O M<br />
Lunch 11am-3pm, Dinner 5-10pm<br />
Dinner reservations recommended<br />
(406) 995-7777<br />
B A R<br />
Open 11am-close<br />
Beer, Wine, Specialty Drinks<br />
Appetizer & Bar Menu<br />
december 16, 2011 11
montana<br />
The state of Montana has $343.8 million<br />
in the bank.<br />
By July 2013, its ending fund balance,<br />
or surplus, should be $426.7 million,<br />
if current estimates from the Legislative<br />
Fiscal Committee are correct.<br />
Republicans outnumbered Democrats<br />
almost 2–1 in the 2011 state Legislature,<br />
and budget arguments were<br />
heated near the end of the session.<br />
The governor’s budget office estimated<br />
a surplus, while the Legislative<br />
Fiscal Committee projected a<br />
potential $400 million budget gap the<br />
legislature would have to address.<br />
Schweitzer and other Democrats<br />
wanted to spend some of that money<br />
on programs during the current biennium,<br />
the 24-month budget period between<br />
sessions.<br />
When Schweitzer set forth a $3.7 billion general<br />
fund budget, the legislature balked. Respond-<br />
12 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
ing to the LFC’s fiscally conservative report,<br />
the legislature cut spending by 6 percent more<br />
than the previous biennium, as compared to<br />
the governor’s proposed 5 percent. This ended a<br />
plan to increase state employee pay, and one to<br />
construct new state buildings.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Montana general fund surplus for 2013<br />
estimated at $426.7 million<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
O P E N F O R T H E W I N T E R<br />
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Reservations & Information<br />
w w w . c a b i n b a r a n d g r i l l . c o m<br />
graPh CourteSy of the LegiSLative fiSCaL diviSion<br />
the fy 2011 unaudited ending fund balance was $343.8 million (currently unaudited)<br />
the current estimated ending fund balance for fy 2013 is $426.7 million.<br />
Lunch 11:30-3:00<br />
Apres Ski 3:00-5:00<br />
Dinner 5:30-10:00<br />
Seven Days A Week<br />
These decisions were based on the climate of huge economic<br />
uncertainty, said Sen. Joe Baleat, R-Bozeman.<br />
“During my 12 year legislative tenure I've seen the LFD's<br />
projections turn out to be too high on several occasions...<br />
one time by more than $250 million,” Baleat wrote in a<br />
comment on a Great Falls Tribune opinion piece.
montana<br />
Where the money<br />
came from<br />
The general fund has over 30 sources<br />
of revenue, but six big contributors<br />
make up 80 percent of that: property<br />
taxes, personal income, corporate<br />
income, vehicle fees and taxes, insurance<br />
premium taxes, and oil and gas<br />
taxes. States with sales tax were more<br />
affected by the consumer-driven<br />
recession.<br />
The surplus was caused by larger<br />
than expected revenues, mostly<br />
from unprecedented prices on commodities<br />
and the resulting increase<br />
in corporate and personal income<br />
tax collections, as well as the higher<br />
price of oil, said Sen. Larry Jent, D-<br />
Bozeman.<br />
Schweitzer said his administration<br />
has saved the government more than<br />
$100 million, without cutting programs.<br />
He cited a variety of means:<br />
more efficient governmental operations;<br />
state employee pay freezes;<br />
savings; cuts to human service spending,<br />
corrections, universities and<br />
public schools; and 5 percent spending<br />
cuts across the board.<br />
“When you have good years, you<br />
keep a little grain in the bin, you don’t<br />
know what’s going to happen next<br />
year,” the governor said, using his<br />
classic metaphor of running government<br />
like a ranch, his previous job.<br />
Other money came from strong<br />
revenue growth in 2011, and from<br />
sales of mineral rights on state lands,<br />
according to a Dec. 7 article in the<br />
Missoulian.<br />
how the system works<br />
Because the Montana Legislature<br />
isn’t always in session, it functions<br />
differently than the federal government.<br />
Montana’s two-year budget period<br />
runs from July 1 of odd-numbered<br />
years to June 30 of odd-numbered<br />
years. By law, the state budget must<br />
be balanced by the end of the fiscal<br />
year, and deficit cannot be carried<br />
over.<br />
In November of even-numbered<br />
years, the governor submits a budget<br />
to the legislature, based on proposals<br />
from government departments. The<br />
legislature then has the authority to<br />
pass or alter it. In turn, the governor<br />
has the power of line item veto on<br />
the legislature’s budget—Schweitzer<br />
exercised that authority in a show of<br />
branding vetoes on the capitol steps<br />
in 2011.<br />
When the legislature goes into session<br />
every two years, it has a balance<br />
in the general fund to appropriate.<br />
While this system works remarkably<br />
well, Jent, now a gubernatorial<br />
candidate, says a few of its parts are<br />
clunky.<br />
First, the citizen legislature only<br />
meets for a 90-day session every<br />
other year, but it has to budget for<br />
two years, something Jent likens to<br />
using a crystal ball:<br />
“Some sources of revenue are relatively<br />
certain, like property tax,” he<br />
said. “Others depend on the economy,<br />
such as personal income taxes<br />
and corporate income taxes.”<br />
Second, Jent said, The Legislative<br />
Fiscal Committee and the governor’s<br />
budget office don’t communicate<br />
well enough, and even though they<br />
use the same stats, they often have<br />
“different worldviews of economic<br />
forecasting.”<br />
This causes chaos and turmoil at the<br />
end of the session, Jent says, allowing<br />
that some tension between economic<br />
experts forecasting revenue is healthy.<br />
“However, it would be nice if the<br />
smart people in [the LFC] would talk<br />
to the smart people in the governor’s<br />
office.” He suggested a revenue estimate<br />
adjusted with current economic<br />
factors much earlier in the session<br />
could create a more homogeneous<br />
projection.<br />
Leftover cash<br />
Since 2005, Montana has had a series<br />
of high ending fund balances like the<br />
current one. That money has acted as a<br />
rainy day fund for the state, which has<br />
been helpful during the recession.<br />
The LFC’s current 2013 projection of<br />
a $426.7 million projected surplus is<br />
based on several things: 2011 legislation<br />
and gubernatorial vetoes; final<br />
closing accounting the year; forecasted<br />
revenues; and forecasted spending.<br />
The $426.7 million is only an estimate,<br />
and things can turn around in a<br />
hurry, Baleat said.<br />
An appropriate projected ending<br />
fund balance is 5 percent of biennial<br />
expenditures, according to a rule of<br />
thumb set by the National Conference<br />
of State Legislatures. That’s in the<br />
range of about $175 million for 2013,<br />
according to Terry Johnson, the LFC’s<br />
principal fiscal analyst.<br />
If the current LFC estimate holds true,<br />
Montana will exceed that 5 percent<br />
and have $275 million extra in the<br />
general fund it can either sit on or<br />
spend.<br />
Johnson says the legislature usually<br />
tries to use surplus money for onetime<br />
initiatives like building projects.<br />
“If they use it for something that<br />
is going to continue to cost in the<br />
future, then they create a problem for<br />
future bienniums.”<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Price<br />
Was<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
BIG SKY IS ON SALE!<br />
25-50%OFF<br />
Price<br />
Now<br />
1 Bdrm Condo $78,000 $36,000<br />
1 Bdrm Condo $270,000 $199,900<br />
2 Bdrm Condo $565,000 $435,000<br />
3 Bdrm Condo $699,000 $449,500<br />
4 Bdrm Condo $1,195,000 $695,000<br />
3 Bdrm Home $1,185,000 $790,000<br />
3 Bdrm Home $2,899,000 $1,695,000<br />
3 Bdrm Home $2,699,000 $1,990,000<br />
4 Bdrm Home $2,795,000 $1,725,000<br />
4 Bdrm Home $4,395,000 $2,950,000<br />
CALL FOR DETAILS OR MORE DEALS<br />
KAREN DAVIDS<br />
(406) 580-5700<br />
karen@riverstopeaks.com<br />
JOHN BAUCHMAN<br />
(406) 570-1920<br />
johnb01@aol.com<br />
Information from sources deemed reliable, but not guaranteed by<br />
Rivers to Peaks. Prices subject to change without notice. Independent<br />
investigation is recommended”.<br />
explorebigsky.com december 16, 2011 13
montana<br />
schweitzer launches Montana<br />
winter tourism campaign<br />
to include Warren miller, heather mcPhie and kevin Connolly<br />
big sky weekly wire serviCes<br />
Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the<br />
Montana Office of Tourism have<br />
launched a marketing campaign<br />
to entice travelers to Montana.<br />
The campaign features renowned<br />
skier and cinematographer Warren<br />
Miller, as well as other Montana<br />
skiers.<br />
“We are honored to have Warren<br />
Miller choose to endorse and<br />
promote Montana’s winter ski<br />
experience,” Schweitzer said in a<br />
statement. “It is also a powerful testament<br />
to the incomparable quality<br />
of skiing that Montana offers.”<br />
The campaign includes stories from<br />
of well-known Montanans who’ve<br />
been inspired and shaped by their<br />
experiences here. The goal is to<br />
help potential visitors see the full<br />
spectrum of experiences, and how<br />
those can transform and influence a<br />
person.<br />
These personalities include Olympic<br />
mogul skier Heather McPhie<br />
and X-Games medalist, author and<br />
photographer Kevin Connolly, as<br />
14 december 16, 2011<br />
well as other photographers, naturalists<br />
and historians.<br />
Skiing and wildlife watching are the<br />
leading motivators for Montana’s<br />
winter travelers. The campaign<br />
will target audiences by working<br />
to build awareness of and intent<br />
to travel to Montana in its ‘secret<br />
season’.<br />
Most of Montana’s 10.5 million<br />
annual visitors travel during the<br />
summer. Visitors spend $2.5 billion<br />
here annually, contribute $180<br />
million in tax revenue and support<br />
more than 28,000 jobs. Visitor<br />
expenditures provide more than<br />
$785 million for Montana workers,<br />
with 30 cents of every visitor dollar<br />
paying wage and salary income for<br />
Montana residents.<br />
The office estimates each Montana<br />
household saves $480 in taxes annually<br />
due to tax revenue generated<br />
through visitor spending.<br />
Montana winter stories: visitmt.<br />
com/montana-stories<br />
Warren Miller media: j.mp/rIIg4y<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
The Montana Office of Public<br />
Instruction has decided not to seek<br />
a waiver from the Department of<br />
Education from requirements of No<br />
Child Left Behind.<br />
Montana’s Superintendent of Public<br />
Instruction Denise Juneau explained<br />
the decision:<br />
“After careful consideration of the<br />
impacts on Montana schools and the<br />
financial resources that would be<br />
necessary to meet the 'all or nothing'<br />
requirements of the waiver, it is<br />
clear the strings attached to this option<br />
do not make sense for our state."<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Montana won't seek waiver from department of education<br />
By aLLySon hagen<br />
oFFiCe oF PubliC instruCtion<br />
Juneau spent the past several months<br />
seeking input from Montanans regarding<br />
the waiver option, including<br />
representatives of several statewide<br />
education groups.<br />
Education leaders expressed concern<br />
that the waiver plan is a replacement<br />
program for current NCLB requirements,<br />
and would cost the state<br />
millions. Implementing the waiver requirements,<br />
which could be overruled<br />
by Congress, would be shortsighted,<br />
Juneau said.<br />
Juneau, an advocate for rural states,<br />
said Montana will move forward with<br />
its current reform efforts to improve<br />
graduation rates, adopt higher standards<br />
in English and Math, and helping<br />
the lower performing Montana schools.<br />
$50,000 available for community-based history projects<br />
Montana History Foundation announces first ever Preserve Montana Grants<br />
The nonprofit Montana History Foundation is offering $50,000 in grants this<br />
year to organizations and individuals who want to preserve historical assets of<br />
importance to Montana’s history. The Preserve Montana Fund aims to protect the<br />
historic legacy of communities across the state.<br />
Grants will be awarded for projects ranging from $500 – $5,000, and the money<br />
will go toward preserving historic buildings, oral histories and collection/archival<br />
preservation. Deadline is Jan. 11, 2012. Criteria and guidelines available at<br />
mthistory.org, or by contacting (406) 449-3770 or gena@mthistory.org.
montana<br />
report: Montana rural areas “exporting” workers<br />
By deB CourSon Smith<br />
big sky ConneCtion<br />
Rural Montana is missing something in<br />
the middle, according to a new analysis<br />
of U.S. Census numbers. The Center<br />
For Rural Affairs report finds a downward<br />
trend of residents in their 20s, 30s<br />
and 40s, while the numbers of young<br />
people and seniors are holding steady.<br />
Report author Jon Bailey, the center's<br />
research director, explains that working-age<br />
Montanans leave because they<br />
need good-paying jobs that tend to be<br />
scarce outside of cities and towns.<br />
"So, you're left with these 'bookend<br />
generations' that require, generally,<br />
a lot more human services than the<br />
middle, working-age population."<br />
The research demonstrates the need to<br />
focus on new and innovative ways to<br />
new Montana state librarian named<br />
Jennie Stapp, the current digital<br />
library director and chief information<br />
officer at the Montana State<br />
Library, was named the new montana<br />
state librarian after an extensive national<br />
search. Stapp replaces Darlene<br />
Staffeldt.<br />
Stapp has held various positions at<br />
the state library, worked in other<br />
libraries, and served in the Peace<br />
Corps. She holds a Master's of Library<br />
Science from the University of Arizona.<br />
With a budget of $9.7 million and<br />
46 employees, the Montana State<br />
FwP wire serviCes<br />
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is<br />
requesting comments on two proposed<br />
rule changes, one that would<br />
allow nonresident falconers to capture<br />
raptors in Montana, and another<br />
to align regulation of raptor propagation<br />
with new federal rules.<br />
Montana was one of only a few states<br />
that forbid nonresident falconers<br />
from capturing birds until the<br />
Montana Legislature eliminated the<br />
restriction in 2011. FWP has proposed<br />
a quota of three raptors and a<br />
$200 capture fee.<br />
Library meets information needs<br />
of Montana government agency<br />
management and staff and ensures<br />
citizens have access to government<br />
information.<br />
The Montana Library Association, a<br />
private nonprofit membership organization<br />
that lobbies on behalf of all<br />
Montana libraries and library patrons,<br />
will hold its 2012 annual conference<br />
in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, April 11-14. The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Community Library is assisting in<br />
planning efforts for the event. Hundreds<br />
of people from around the state<br />
attend, including Stapp.<br />
new raptor regulations proposed<br />
Nearly 97,000 businesses filed<br />
their annual reports online in 2011,<br />
a record number, according to the<br />
Secretary of State’s office.<br />
Improvements in that office’s online<br />
services have significantly reduced<br />
In revising regulations to comply<br />
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife<br />
Service, FWP would increase the<br />
licensing period for raptor propagators.<br />
Having captive bred birds<br />
available for falconry reduces the take<br />
of wild raptors for the sport. Today,<br />
15 people have the state and federal<br />
licenses necessary to breed and raise<br />
raptors in Montana.<br />
Comments due by Dec. 30. Email to:<br />
bmoe@mt.gov or by mail to: Falconry,<br />
P.O. Box 200701, Helena, M.T,<br />
59620-0701.<br />
Record online filings for 2011 annual reports<br />
oFFiCe oF the seCretary oF state<br />
create rural economic opportunities,<br />
Bailey says. Renewable energy, broadband<br />
expansion and ecotourism are recommended<br />
in the report as investments<br />
that could help grow working-age<br />
populations, and in turn, better support<br />
the younger and older generations.<br />
"This affects what we do policy-wise<br />
and what type of services have to be<br />
provided in rural places, and how that<br />
gets funded."<br />
Rural areas depend on the taxes paid<br />
by working-age folks to fund education<br />
and health care, Bailey says, so<br />
it hurts the whole community when<br />
they leave. The trend isn't unique<br />
to Montana; the report shows the<br />
same story throughout the Great<br />
Plains. The report, "Age Distribution<br />
on the Great Plains," is online at files.<br />
cfra.org.<br />
office spending by $1.3 million in<br />
the first year, and made doing business<br />
with the state more convenient.<br />
Montana law requires foreign and<br />
domestic corporations and limited<br />
liability companies to file annual<br />
financial reports. Businesses that<br />
don’t file the report can’t legally<br />
operate in Montana.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
THE WEST MAY BE WILD,<br />
but it’s not uncivilized<br />
The restaurant at Rainbow Ranch is now open<br />
for the season and featuring a delicious new winter<br />
menu with -RR specialties and culinary delights.<br />
Open Daily:<br />
Happy Hour 4:30pm - 6pm • Dinner 5:30pm - 9:30pm<br />
Call 1.800.937.4132 for reservations<br />
A Sparkling Celebration<br />
Ring in the new year in signature -RR style!<br />
Enjoy a four-course dinner for two and a midnight<br />
toast and sparkler party on the deck. Start 2012 by<br />
waking up in our luxurious Anichini Italian Linens.<br />
Visit EscapeToRainbowRanch.com<br />
to see all our packages and specials!<br />
escapetorainbowranch.com • 1.800.937.4132<br />
Five miles south of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> entrance on Hwy 191<br />
december 16, 2011 15
16 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly
seCtion 2:<br />
heaLth // BuSineSS // reaL eState<br />
annual<br />
Madrigal dinner<br />
at buck's t-4<br />
dec. 5, 2011<br />
PhotoS By aBBie digeL<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
December 16, 2011<br />
Volume 2 // Issue #22<br />
december 16, 2011 17
Open 7 days a week 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.<br />
18 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
B I G S K Y ’ S F U L L S E R V I C E G R O C E R Y S T O R E<br />
H a n d - c u t m e a t s • Fr e s h b a ke d g o o d s • G o u r m e t i t e m s • B e e r & w i n e<br />
LOCAL<br />
Delivery available - have your home<br />
stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636<br />
FRESH<br />
Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery<br />
<strong>New</strong> Year’s <strong>Eve</strong><br />
BASH<br />
AT AT CHOPPERS<br />
CHOPPERS<br />
Tom Cook Band & The Boozehounds<br />
9pm | $10 cover<br />
Patron/Sims Snowboard Giveaway at Midnight!<br />
Signup at Choppers, must be present to win<br />
Dine with us on <strong>New</strong> Year’s <strong>Eve</strong>!<br />
PLUS<br />
Regular menu available for everyone in the bar<br />
Join us for a special NYE dining experience - Surf & Turf<br />
Three-course Surf and Turf dinner with<br />
complementary glass of Champage<br />
with dinner<br />
Two seatings - 6:00pm and 8:30pm<br />
Limited seating, Reservations required<br />
for surf & turf dinner - 995-3830
heaLth & WeLLneSS<br />
Holiday-related injuries<br />
By erin BiLLS, mPh<br />
big sky weekly Contributor<br />
Not only does December bring Santa<br />
and his eight reindeer, it also brings the<br />
potential for holiday-related injuries.<br />
Whether you’re stringing lights in the<br />
tradition of Clark W. Griswold, rolling<br />
the dice at buffet tables, or baking<br />
Christmas cookies, you may be popping<br />
the cork on a bottle of holiday health<br />
hazards.<br />
<strong>Eve</strong>ry year, the Center for Disease Control<br />
and Prevention reports more than<br />
17,000 emergency visits for holidayrelated<br />
injuries.<br />
A significant<br />
percentage of<br />
these result<br />
from decorating.<br />
At your next<br />
holiday gathering,<br />
consider<br />
these simple<br />
tips to keep from fa-la-la-ing apart. It’s<br />
all fun and reindeer games until someone<br />
gets hurt.<br />
If you’re not santa claus, leave the<br />
rooftop work to the elves or professional<br />
home decorators in your area.<br />
Christmas lights are to blame for many<br />
slips, sprains, strains and shocks. Teetering<br />
on a ladder haphazardly perched<br />
atop a snowy, slippery surface has the<br />
obvious risk of falling.<br />
opt for leD lights and appropriately<br />
utilize electrical outlets by<br />
using a power strip and limiting the<br />
number of strings used per outlet.<br />
If overstuffing electrical outlets with<br />
old strings of lights is more your style,<br />
you may find yourself in a hair raising<br />
situation. The risk of electrical shock<br />
and fires caused by holiday lights<br />
drastically increases during the holiday<br />
season.<br />
Trees, real or artificial, should be<br />
placed away from heat sources, watered<br />
daily (if real), and kept away<br />
from small children and pets. O<br />
Tannenbaum, that seasonal symbol of<br />
joy and happiness, comes with its own<br />
unique health risk factors. If ingested,<br />
artificial tree parts may present a choking<br />
hazard, while real pine needles may<br />
trigger allergic reactions.<br />
Poinsettias and mistletoe: traditional<br />
and toxic. These holiday plants<br />
are naturally poisonous if ingested.<br />
Another bonus? Mistletoe, that opportunistic<br />
plant, gives many the courage<br />
to pucker up and spread communicable<br />
diseases this time of year. Spare your<br />
Christmas crush the seasonal sniffles<br />
and offer a cookie from the holiday buffet<br />
table instead.<br />
holiday baking, cooking, and feasting<br />
might be one of the biggest<br />
holiday health risks of all. Not so<br />
fast! Food borne illness is not the way<br />
to spread holiday cheer. Ensure that<br />
food is cooked thoroughly and kept<br />
at the proper temperature to decrease<br />
the risk of making others sick. Cuts<br />
and burns during the food preparation<br />
process could place you on a fast track<br />
in the front wheel drive sleigh to the<br />
emergency department.<br />
You may be starting to think ‘oh, what<br />
fun the holidays are not.’ Or perhaps<br />
this holiday health Grinch is a fun<br />
hater. Maybe it’s time we take a look at<br />
some reindeer games.<br />
When taking the family out for<br />
some holiday<br />
every year, the Center for<br />
disease Control and Prevention<br />
reports more than 17,000<br />
emergency visits for holidayrelated<br />
injuries.<br />
sledding its<br />
important to<br />
remember<br />
that sledding<br />
hills are<br />
named just<br />
like ski runs.<br />
Remember<br />
your favorite childhood sledding hill?<br />
Was it Devil's Drop, Suicide Slide, Back<br />
Breaker, or something similar? Unless<br />
you’re an experienced sledder on familiar<br />
terrain, think before you drop in to<br />
an appropriately named black diamond<br />
sledding run. Remember, adults don't<br />
bounce up off of the ground as well as<br />
10-year-olds. Your tailbone and shoulders<br />
may thank you.<br />
Football and skiing are responsible<br />
for many sports-related injuries<br />
during the holiday season. There is<br />
high risk for football injury when not<br />
playing with appropriate equipment,<br />
such as when tackling your friend in<br />
the living room to celebrate your college<br />
team’s bowl win, or when "touch"<br />
football degenerates into "tackle"<br />
football.<br />
If you’re on vacation or on the ski<br />
hill for the first time this year,<br />
start slow. Make a few runs on some<br />
easier runs before riding the tram<br />
and dropping in to the <strong>Big</strong> Couloir in<br />
early season conditions. Take a lesson<br />
if you need one, and make sure your<br />
equipment is in reasonable condition.<br />
Depending on your ability, it might be<br />
better to start out on Southern Comfort<br />
before skiing the Dictators with your<br />
mom who is on vacation.<br />
After reading this, you might think the<br />
holiday season is the riskiest time of<br />
year. One reason is the fact that people<br />
are getting out and doing things with<br />
their friends and families. After all, it<br />
wouldn’t be the holidays if someone<br />
didn’t say, “hold my beer and watch<br />
this.”<br />
Erin A. Bills, MPH lives in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> and<br />
is dedicated to improving the health of<br />
Montana’s rural populations. Follow her<br />
blog at projectbagbalm.wordpress.<br />
com.<br />
Sometimes life doesn’t go as<br />
planned—even on vacation.<br />
That’s why Bozeman Deaconess<br />
Pharmacy at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> is here for<br />
you.<br />
We offer a full range of pharmaceutical<br />
items including<br />
bandages and OTC<br />
medicines and<br />
creams for<br />
aches and<br />
pains. And,<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
When the ride down isn’t as smooth as the ride up<br />
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED<br />
should you have<br />
forgotten your<br />
medications, we’re<br />
happy to assist you in getting<br />
what you need to fully enjoy life<br />
under the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>.<br />
Whether you’re here for<br />
the week or a lifetime, we<br />
want to help you enjoy a<br />
smooth ride—<br />
on and off the<br />
mountain.<br />
• Pediatrics • Chronic C onditions<br />
• Women’s Health • Prenatal Care<br />
• Osteopathic Manipulation<br />
Maren Dunn D.O.<br />
Board Certified in Family Medicine<br />
18 Meadow Village Drive, <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, MT<br />
(across from the post offi ce) Phone: 406-995-3111<br />
explorebigsky.com december 16, 2011 19
20 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly
BuSineSS<br />
open a Montana Medical savings account<br />
before dec. 31 for 2011 tax savings<br />
msu news serviCe<br />
Did you have medical expenses during<br />
2011 that weren’t covered by<br />
health insurance or a flexible spending<br />
account? If so, you can open a<br />
Montana Medical Care Savings Account<br />
by Dec. 31 to cover them.<br />
Up to $3,000 of these deposits are<br />
deductible from 2011 Montana<br />
adjusted gross income, thus reducing<br />
state taxes. A Montanan with taxable<br />
income over $16,000 could save<br />
about $207 in state income taxes by<br />
depositing the maximum $3,000 in a<br />
Montana MSA, according to Marsha<br />
Goetting, MSU Extension family<br />
economics specialist.<br />
internal revenue serviCe<br />
The IRS is looking to return $153.3<br />
million in undelivered tax refund<br />
checks. This year, 99,123 refunds<br />
averaging $1,547 were not delivered<br />
because of mailing address errors.<br />
The "Where's My Refund?" tool on<br />
IRS.gov or at (800) 829-1954 provides<br />
the status of refunds and, in<br />
tax audit<br />
*The tax board is required to perform<br />
an audit each year and have the<br />
findings available to publish.<br />
An audit of the affairs of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Resort Area District has been<br />
conducted by Holmes and Turner (a<br />
professional corporation). The audit<br />
covered the fiscal year ending June<br />
30, 2011.<br />
Eligible expenses include medical<br />
insurance premiums, long-term care<br />
insurance, dental and orthodontic<br />
care, eyeglasses or contacts, or prescription<br />
drugs. Medical-related bills<br />
already covered by a supplemental,<br />
primary or self-insured plan are not<br />
covered. Reimbursements for paid<br />
eligible medical expenses are available<br />
until Jan. 15.<br />
An MSU Extension MontGuide can<br />
help decipher if you’d benefit from an<br />
MSA: msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialmanagement/mT199817hr.pdf<br />
Where’s my refund?<br />
irS has $153 million in undelivered checks;<br />
recommends e-file, direct deposit<br />
Fine Western Art & Bronzes<br />
some cases, instructions on how to<br />
resolve delivery problems.<br />
By filing returns electronically and<br />
receiving refunds through direct<br />
deposit, taxpayers can reduce errors<br />
on tax returns, speed up refunds and<br />
eliminate lost paper returns. Nearly<br />
eight out of 10 taxpayers e-filed last<br />
year.<br />
Section 2-7-521, MCA, requires the<br />
publication concerning the audit<br />
report include a statement that the<br />
audit report is on file in its entirety<br />
and open to the public inspection<br />
at the tax board office, and that the<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort Area District will<br />
send a copy of the audit report to<br />
any interested person upon request.<br />
Gift your home the spirit of the American West<br />
this holiday season!<br />
Join us for a glass of wine daily from 4-6 p.m. to view our<br />
original artwork, bronzes, furniture, and jewelry.<br />
We are located next to Grizzly Outfitters & Rivers To Peaks<br />
Real Estate in the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Town Center<br />
Open Daily (406) 580-5891<br />
buy<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Winter<br />
&<br />
Company<br />
real estate<br />
406.995.2093<br />
Shawna Winter<br />
Shawna Winter<br />
broker | owner<br />
SELL<br />
View from 14 Swift Bear<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Ski-In/Out<br />
Mountain Village Residence<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
www.MTwinter.com Shawna@MTwinter.com<br />
Shawna Winter<br />
Winter & Co. Welcomes<br />
www.MTwinter.com Shawna@MTwinter.com<br />
Shawna@MTwinter.com<br />
Aimee Gerharter<br />
406-599-4448 aimeegerharter@msn.com<br />
Winter & Co. Welcomes<br />
Aimee Gerharter<br />
Aimee Gerharter<br />
406-599-4448 Aimee@MTwinter.com<br />
406-599-4448 aimeegerharter@msn.com<br />
and more ‘COMPANY’ to come!<br />
december 16, 2011 21
BuSineSS direCtory<br />
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Call us today at 993 9242 or visit us on the web at ins-agency.com<br />
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BuSineSS<br />
Business Profile: dee-o-gee<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
Josh Allen always wanted to own his own business.<br />
He didn’t think it would be dog store, but he’s<br />
happy that’s how it turned out.<br />
“Pet people, dog owners, generally are happy,” he<br />
says. “I think pets enrich our lives.”<br />
Allen and his wife Holly, both Montana natives and<br />
Montana State alumni, started Dee-o-Gee in 2008.<br />
It wasn’t the best time to start a new business, Allen<br />
admits, but it’s grown anyway, and now has five<br />
other employees.<br />
The store, on Eighth and Main streets in Bozeman,<br />
sells mostly eco-friendly products manufactured in<br />
the U.S., and from “small mom and pop businesses,”<br />
Allen says. They also offer dog grooming, healthy<br />
dog food and homemade gourmet dog treats.<br />
The grooming, which accounts for 25 – 30 percent<br />
of business, draws customers from Bozeman, <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong>, Ennis, Livingston, Gardiner and Billings.<br />
Allen credits community support—plus the number<br />
of dog owners in Bozeman—for Dee-o-Gee’s<br />
success.<br />
“We learned firsthand the value of local small business<br />
to a local or regional economy,” Allen says,<br />
and “how important it is to support people who are<br />
your neighbors, instead of spending dollars at a big<br />
chain.”<br />
The company’s new website has online shopping<br />
for everything in the store, and a full line delivery<br />
service that includes toys, treats and pet food.<br />
While the delivery service is only in and around<br />
Bozeman, regional one-day shipping is also available.<br />
NOW IS THE THE TIME OF<br />
YEAR TO BRING OUT YOUR<br />
HOME’S INNER BEAUTY.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
The Allens started Dee-o-Gee because “it was hard to find a good local place to get your dog<br />
groomed, to get good dog food you can trust, and to get a fun toy.” PhotoS CourteSy of JoSh aLLen<br />
• Painting, drywall, wood finishes applied on site or in our pre-finishing facility.<br />
• Pick up the phone, email us or check out our websites for more info.<br />
406-580-0331 | email: cboyd@montanapaintinc.com<br />
montanapaintinc.com // montanaprefinish.com<br />
Allen says having loyal customers has also enabled<br />
Dee-o-Gee to give back. The owners donate<br />
dog food to the Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter<br />
in Bozeman, sponsor events at the shelter and<br />
the fairgrounds, and give a cut of their profits to<br />
their church.<br />
“I love that part of being a business owner,” he<br />
says, “being in the fabric of a community.”<br />
10+<br />
YEARS OF LOCAL EXPERTISE<br />
december 16, 2011 23
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24 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Help Wanted<br />
Excellent opportunity to join the<br />
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Contact for a complete hiring package.<br />
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406-587-7503
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some restaurants<br />
do italian food.<br />
some do chinese food.<br />
WE DO<br />
BIG SKY<br />
FOOD<br />
we deliver<br />
4069952305<br />
serving breakfast<br />
lunch & dinner<br />
view menu at:<br />
explorebigsky.com/blue-moon-bakery<br />
december 16, 2011 25
26 december 16, 2011<br />
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<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
www.PruMT.com<br />
406.995.4060 • 800.995.4060<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Town Center • 55 Lone Peak Drive • Suite 3<br />
Prudential Montana Real Estate is your statewide real estate company with 12 offices to serve you in the communities of<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, Bozeman, Dillon, Ennis, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, Hamilton, Florence, Missoula, Seeley Lake & Polson.<br />
beaVer creek weSt<br />
$1,725,000 • #157935 • call don<br />
• 4 bd, 6 ba, 4,001 +/- sf custom home<br />
• furnished, deck on three sides<br />
• 20 +/- acres, trout pond, stream<br />
• tremendous views of the Spanish Peaks<br />
PRice ReducTiON<br />
Pi<strong>New</strong>ood hiLLS eState<br />
$1,075,000 • #175582 • call George<br />
• 3 bd, 5 ba, 4,500 +/- sf home<br />
• 8 +/- acres (2 contiguous lots), pond<br />
• beautiful natural landscaping, mature trees<br />
• guest home, Yellow Mountain views<br />
LoSt traiLS Lot #6<br />
$775,000 • #179325. • call Stacy<br />
• 20 +/- acres, 8 lot subdivision<br />
• Spanish Peaks views, sunny lot<br />
• 3 miles to <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Ski and Summer resort<br />
• fabulous location with outstanding views<br />
raiNbow trout ruN<br />
$479,000 • #176526 • call Stacy<br />
• 3 bd, 2.5 ba, 2365+/- sf, custom finishes<br />
• bonus room above 2 car attached garage<br />
• massive wood burning stone fireplace<br />
• hot tub, flagstone patio with fire pit<br />
aNtLer ridGe, Lot 149<br />
$269,000 • #161824 • call don<br />
• .35 +/- acre lot, Lone Mtn. views<br />
• exceptional building site, southern exposure<br />
• community water system<br />
• between Mountain and Meadow Villages<br />
Don Pilotte, Broker, GRI, RRS, SFR, 406.580.0155<br />
Eric Ossorio, Broker, 406.539.9553<br />
Stacy Ossorio, Broker, 406.539.8553<br />
Debbie Applebaum, Sales Associate, 406.570.7474<br />
North fork rd, tract 2<br />
$1,400,000• #180623 • call Stacy<br />
• 20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch<br />
• extraordinary views and nordic ski trail access<br />
• desirable, private enclave<br />
• contiguous to North Fork Tract 8<br />
NeW LiSTiNg<br />
craiL raNch towNhome<br />
$990,000 • #180839 • call George<br />
• 4 bd, 4 ba, 3,500 +/- sf<br />
• furnished with over $124,000 furniture<br />
• next to flowing creek with outstanding views<br />
• heated 2 car attached garage<br />
355 Low doG road<br />
$759,000 • #180986 • call marc<br />
• 4 bd, 3.5 ba, 3136 +/- sf, 1+ acre lot<br />
• fresh paint, wood floor<br />
• at the base of Wardance ski run<br />
• nestled in the trees at Mountain Village<br />
aLPeNGLow coNdo 18c<br />
$396,000 • #174888 • call eric or Stacy<br />
• 3 bd, 3 ba, 2,054 +/- sf<br />
• gourmet kitchen, knotty alder cabinets<br />
• gas rock fireplace, furnishings negotiable<br />
• deck, 1 car attached garage<br />
cedar creek #61<br />
$173,000 • #179877 • call George<br />
• 2 bd / 2 ba, 991 +/- sq feet<br />
• beautifully furnished, gas fireplace<br />
• clean, well appointed<br />
• good rental income<br />
Toni Delzer, Sales Associate, 406.570.3195<br />
Mark Dobrenski, Sales Associate, 406.599.2175<br />
George Hagar, Sales Associate, 406.580.2248<br />
North fork rd, tract 8<br />
$1,100,000 • #180527 • call Stacy<br />
• 20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch<br />
• hiking and ski trails to lot<br />
• desirable, private enclave<br />
• contiguous to tract 2 to create 40 acres<br />
Powder ridGe cabiN<br />
$795,000 • #176798 • call Stacy<br />
• 4 bd, 3 ba, 2,577 +/- sf, furnished<br />
• ski-in/ski-out to White Otter lift<br />
• numerous upgrades, river rock fireplace<br />
• entertaining deck off of the kitchen, hot tub<br />
beaVer creek w, Lot 13<br />
$695,000 • #176399 • caLL don<br />
• 20 +/- acres, spectacular views<br />
• located on gentle slope, private driveway<br />
• ideal for a new home, well is drilled<br />
• convenient to all of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
caScade Lot 71a<br />
$299,000 • #173281 • call Stacy or eric<br />
• 1.3 +/- acre Knob lot, ski-in/ski-out<br />
• adjacent to Thunderwolf lift<br />
• breathtaking Lone Mountain views<br />
• agent owned<br />
aNtLer ridGe LotS<br />
$105,000 • call George<br />
• .46 +/- acres lots<br />
• wonderful building sites, gorgeous views<br />
• water & sewer (septic) metered<br />
• purchase 1 lot or make an offer on both<br />
Marc Lauermann, Sales Assoc., ABR, SFR, 406.581.8242<br />
88 Gray owL LaNe<br />
$1,100,000 • #179265 • call don<br />
• 3 bd, 3 ba, 2402 +/- sf home<br />
• custom home on 2+/- ac lot<br />
• sited on 2 lots<br />
• heated garage with storage<br />
LoSt traiLS Lot #8<br />
$780,000 • # 178440 • call don<br />
• 20 +/- acres sunny, south-facing building sites<br />
• between Mountain and Meadow Villages<br />
• views of Yellowstone Mtn and Spanish Peaks<br />
• community water system with fire flow<br />
NeW LiSTiNg<br />
GaLLatiN hiGhLaNdS<br />
$575,000 • #180951 • call Stacy<br />
• 20 acre tract w/gorgeous mtn views<br />
• price includes Locati Home plans<br />
• south facing, old growth fir trees<br />
• compelling price and offering<br />
caScade Lot 69b<br />
$299,000 • #174621 • call Stacy<br />
• premier mountin enclave<br />
• Spanish Peak views<br />
• close to Thunder Wolf lift<br />
• <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> sewer and water<br />
PRice ReducTiON<br />
1350 hiLL coNdo<br />
$36,000 • #179795 • call eric<br />
• 1 bd, 1 ba, 440 +/- sf<br />
• top floor unit overlooks lake<br />
• great condition<br />
• very nice upgrades, short sale<br />
Anne MacKenzie, Sales Associate, 406.223.1095<br />
Peter MacKenzie, Sales Associate, 406.223.1195
arChiteCture<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
europe, part 2: koln, germany<br />
By Jamie daugaard<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> WeekLy ContriButor<br />
On a recent trip to Europe, I visited<br />
the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg<br />
and Italy. Here, I’d like to<br />
discuss the architecture of the Koln<br />
Cathedral, which exemplifies the<br />
Gothic Architecture during the medieval<br />
time period, in Germany. My<br />
next article will continue to be on<br />
the Rheinland of Germany and in<br />
particular the Roman city of Trier.<br />
As I traveled from Amsterdam,<br />
Netherlands to Koln (pronounced<br />
Cologne), Germany by the Autobahn,<br />
I noticed a change from the<br />
urban density of the Netherlands to<br />
smaller clusters of towns and rural<br />
farms.<br />
My first destination in Germany<br />
was Koln, and with it, a visit to the<br />
Koln Cathedral. I’ve studied architectural<br />
history and taught as an<br />
aide at Montana State University,<br />
so experiencing this type of architecture<br />
in person was stunning, awe<br />
inspiring and humbling. In it, I saw<br />
the culture’s importance of expressing<br />
a higher belief and making<br />
every effort to celebrate that.<br />
Koln Cathedral is based on gothic<br />
architecture. It was constructed<br />
between 1248 and 1880. Yes, 632<br />
years to construct, although the cathedral<br />
started to be used in the 1330s.<br />
At 515 feet, the spires once made Koln<br />
Cathedral the tallest structure in the<br />
world.<br />
As gothic architecture evolved from<br />
Romanesque architecture, construction<br />
techniques and engineering<br />
improved. The mass of the exterior<br />
supporting walls became smaller,<br />
and were replaced with larger<br />
openings. This type of architectural<br />
style was able to nurture and<br />
celebrate vertical expression and<br />
natural light in its spaces.<br />
The Koln Cathedral is made completely<br />
of stone and embodies<br />
gothic ecclesiastical architecture,<br />
with the exterior flying stone buttresses<br />
built to support the outward<br />
thrust caused by the weight of the<br />
structure above. Much of its decoration<br />
is pointed up, toward heaven.<br />
Its stone windows and "plate and<br />
bar tracery" are capped with rich<br />
stone articulation at entries, roof<br />
edges and spires.<br />
Approaching Koln Cathedral I felt<br />
the impressive scale in height and<br />
width. As I got closer, the ornamentation<br />
everywhere was evident.<br />
Interesting is the patina of the<br />
stone, where weathered older stone<br />
turns a darker black color and more<br />
prominent at the top of the Cathedral<br />
and fades to a gray as you get to<br />
lower elevations.<br />
Inside the Cathedral, the immensity<br />
of space and the verticality<br />
is captivating. I noticed so many<br />
details: faint sounds and tones;<br />
colored light pouring in from the<br />
stained glass; the stone rib for the<br />
vaulting, soft colors; and the large<br />
relieved stone furniture pieces.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
The stone on the interior is less<br />
worked and ornamented than the<br />
exterior; I believe it was done this<br />
way to direct focus on the bishop<br />
at the end of the nave. The stone<br />
tile flooring mosaics are articulated<br />
throughout, and I’m certain with<br />
religious and historical meaning:<br />
Emblem seals compliment Latin<br />
scriptures, and there are repeating<br />
elements such as leaves, birds and<br />
geometric shapes.<br />
This site is a beautiful project on<br />
a massive human scale, all built<br />
before power equipment, lifts, steel<br />
cranes or gasoline powered vehicles<br />
existed.<br />
Koln Cathedral is also listed on the<br />
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.<br />
CENTRE SKY<br />
A R C H I T E C T U R E L T D<br />
Jamie Daugaard, principal of<br />
Centre <strong>Sky</strong> Architecture, received<br />
his B-Arch and M-Arch from MSU.<br />
Sustainability is deeply rooted in his<br />
work, which is mostly in mountain<br />
regions, with offices in Denver and<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>. He will post more photos<br />
from this trip at facebook.com/centresky.<br />
If you would like to comment<br />
on this article or would like to learn<br />
more about another topic, you can<br />
contact him at jamie@centresky.com<br />
or (406) 995-7572. centresky.com<br />
december 16, 2011 27
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big sky real estate update:<br />
Reflections on 2011 and predictions for 2012<br />
from the local experts at Sotheby’s international realty, Jeff helms, tallie Jamison and ryan kulesza<br />
First and foremost, we want to welcome you back<br />
to <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, the best place to enjoy the holiday<br />
season. Since your last visit, we’d like to bring<br />
you up to speed on our local real estate market.<br />
What follows is an overview of the last year’s<br />
activity in our entire region including the Meadow,<br />
Mountain, and Canyon areas, as well as the<br />
four resorts. There is a lot of data and doing the<br />
research on your own can be daunting, so we’ve<br />
done the work for you. We invite you to review<br />
the numbers in our data driven report on pages 30<br />
and 31 or visit us next to the Hungry Moose for a<br />
personal overview.<br />
a year IN reVIeW<br />
In 2011, we created a marketplace in which properties<br />
actually traded. That may sound insignificant,<br />
but in comparison to 2009 and 2010 where<br />
we saw a relatively inactive marketplace, we<br />
had difficulty determining values because there<br />
were so few sales. Thankfully, now, we can look<br />
at comparable data within distinct segments and<br />
discern true market value. Just over two hundred<br />
properties traded hands this year, for a total<br />
of $106,000,000 (excluding Yellowstone Club<br />
transactions).<br />
We hit an important milestone late this year:<br />
our inventory levels fell below 500, contracting<br />
by 38% since the highs of 2008, when we had<br />
over 750 listings in the entire <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> market.<br />
This absorption shows both confidence in the<br />
market and a correction in the balance of supply<br />
and demand. 75% of the transactions were under<br />
$500,000, leading buyers to seek value at price<br />
points over $500,000. We were encouraged to see<br />
many $1M+ sales in the fourth quarter.<br />
buyers’ marKeT<br />
The most important step a buyer can take towards<br />
making a purchase is to get an education on the<br />
finer points of their market segment. Well priced<br />
properties, foreclosures in particular, have seen<br />
multiple offers within 48 hours and even sold<br />
over the listing price. Buyers need to know when<br />
to strike so they don’t miss a great opportunity.<br />
With the combination of decreased prices and<br />
very low vacancy rates in the long- and shortterm<br />
rental markets, investors have begun to allocate<br />
money to acquire income-producing properties.<br />
We expect 2012 to continue to be a buyer’s<br />
market, with high-end properties in particular.<br />
DIsTresseD ProPerTIes<br />
Short sales, foreclosures and bank-owned properties<br />
are still affecting our overall market. In<br />
2011, 24% of solds were technically classified as<br />
distressed, while only 10% of our active listings<br />
are distressed. In other words, we have a high<br />
demand for distressed properties, but the supply<br />
has been diminished. Buyers continue to ask for a<br />
list of foreclosures; that list is shrinking. The opportunity<br />
to purchase top quality distressed real<br />
estate is now.<br />
PreDIcTIoNs<br />
We remain cautiously optimistic about the overall<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> market. Over the past year, we have<br />
watched Yellowstone Club stabilize, Moonlight<br />
Basin begin to emerge from bankruptcy, and<br />
Spanish Peaks Holdings II, LLC file for Chapter<br />
7 bankruptcy with all services coming to halt.<br />
Through it all, <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort seemed to make<br />
wise and prudent decisions in all facets of their<br />
operations. Resort areas rely heavily on real estate<br />
sales in order to sustain their business models.<br />
Thus, you can anticipate new product development<br />
and releases in the later half of 2012 in<br />
order to generate much needed revenue to sustain<br />
operations in both Yellowstone Club and Moonlight<br />
Basin. For example, we expect the release of<br />
the final phase of the Powder Ridge Cabins (4B),<br />
a ski-in ski-out condo development at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Resort.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
We anticipate vacant land sales to increase in<br />
2012 due to such low prices throughout <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>.<br />
Inventory levels in Moonlight Basin will continue<br />
to diminish into the first quarter of 2012,<br />
which will lead to an increase in value for many of<br />
the ski-in ski-out properties there. Yellowstone<br />
Club will continue to see absorption in their<br />
secondary market, which will eventually lead to<br />
new developer releases. They are launching built<br />
product that the consumer can purchase ‘turnkey’.<br />
Yellowstone Club will continue to be our<br />
glimmer of hope in the high-end luxury segment.<br />
As occurred in 1998 to 2001, when YC values<br />
improve, the rest of the market follows.<br />
We confidently predict that in 2012, absorption<br />
rates in Moonlight Basin, YC and <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort<br />
will increase over 2011. We guarantee that<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> remains an incredible destination with<br />
quality of life unmatched by any other mountain<br />
resort community. Our advice to you is to begin<br />
tracking the data in order to stay in tune with<br />
market dynamics.<br />
Insider’s Edge<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> real estate market can be difficult to<br />
navigate. It’s hard to predict true market values,<br />
so we rose to that challenge by developing a solution<br />
called the “Insider’s Edge.” On this portion<br />
of our website, we will simplify local news and<br />
real estate updates. Now more than ever, buyers<br />
and sellers need a knowledge-based resource to<br />
make informed real estate decisions.<br />
Jeff, Tallie and Ryan are an integral component<br />
of the leading real estate firm in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> and are<br />
proud to live, work, and play here. See our Year<br />
End Review on pages 30 and 31 for an in-depth<br />
analysis of the entire <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> real estate market.<br />
december 16, 2011 29
Year in Review - 2011 Properties Sold (To Date)<br />
Our mission is to give you the knowledge base to make informed decisions. We represent buyers and sellers.<br />
PROPERTY LIST PRICE ORIGINAL<br />
PRICE<br />
Canyon Area<br />
30 december 16, 2011 explorebigsky.com<br />
$/SF<br />
TBD Gallatin Road $79,000 $99,000 127.42<br />
1000 Cascade Creek Road $92,000 $92,000 296.77<br />
531 Cascade Creek $79,700 $79,700 120.76<br />
TBD Storm Castle Road $130,000 $130,000 194.03<br />
54320 Gallatin Road $184,900 $194,900 264.14<br />
34 Primrose Lane $300,000 $309,000 121.21<br />
43 Paintbrush Place $425,000 $425,000 130.65<br />
65550 Gallatin Road $449,000 $495,000 249.44<br />
1299 Dudley Creek Road $429,000 $623,000 268.13<br />
312 Windy Pass Trail $599,000 $599,000 183.97<br />
49825 Gallatin Road $699,000 $699,000 272.2<br />
355 Beaver Mountain Trail $749,900 $824,900 314.42<br />
84 Lazy T-4 Road $1,174,900 162.06<br />
200 Towering Pines Road $1,595,000 299.59<br />
54725 Gallatin Road $1,695,000 426.2<br />
500 Beaver Creek Road $1,495,000 282.08<br />
360 Rainbow Ranch Road $1,995,000 306.92<br />
59400 Gallatin Road $97,500 $125,000 178.57<br />
Beavercreek West Lot 22B $279,000 $399,000<br />
Buck Ridge Ranch Lot 12 $299,000 $450,000<br />
Porcupine Park Lot 13A $369,000 $369,000<br />
Greathorn Ranch Tract 1 $3,200,000<br />
Meadow Area<br />
RJS Building Unit 204 $275,000 $275,000<br />
659 Spruce Cone Drive $295,000 $350,000 98.33<br />
Gallatin Building Unit 13 $34,900 $39,900 95.36<br />
Spruce Condo 6 $63,750 $75,000 101.19<br />
Gallatin Building Unit 16 $48,000 $90,000 89.55<br />
193 Spruce Cone Drive $65,900 $65,900 56.81<br />
Firelight Condo 3C $85,000 $85,000 77.84<br />
Firelight Condo 6A $75,000 $99,500 68.68<br />
Silverbow 55 $75,000 $75,000 107.76<br />
Firelight Condo B6 $79,900 $94,900 73.17<br />
Firelight Condo C8 $84,900 $84,900 77.75<br />
Firelight Condo B8 $77,250 $77,250 70.74<br />
Firelight Condo 5C $85,000 $115,000 77.84<br />
Yellowstone Condo 88 $83,500 $83,500 125.75<br />
8 Firelight Drive $89,900 $89,900 82.33<br />
Spruce Condo 51 $94,900 $99,900 110.09<br />
Firelight Condo 19C $79,900 $79,900 64.75<br />
Firelight Condo 16C $85,000 $85,000 77.84<br />
Spruce Condo 11 $94,500 $94,500 132.17<br />
Broadwater 185 $89,000 $89,000 134.85<br />
Glacier Condo 160 $109,900 $137,500 149.73<br />
Broadwater 187 $98,000 $136,000 104.7<br />
Firelight Condo 10D $105,000 $159,000 96.15<br />
Firelight Condo 20A $115,000 $115,000 93.19<br />
Firelight Condo D6 $105,000 $105,000 96.15<br />
Pine Ridge Condo #8 $96,000 $96,000 81.77<br />
Firelight Condo 11A $128,250 $135,000 103.59<br />
Broadwater 180 $149,500 $175,000 151.32<br />
Firelight Condo 2D $115,000 $115,000 105.31<br />
Aspen Court 1 $149,000 $189,000 128.89<br />
Hidden Village 81 $179,900 $220,000 93.41<br />
Glacier Condo 152 $145,000 $145,000 197.55<br />
Glacier Condo 157 $159,900 $199,900 217.85<br />
Madison Court 11 $144,900 $157,900 103.5<br />
68 Rose Hip Circle $142,500 $142,500 73.15<br />
109 Candlelight $143,900 $156,900 77.41<br />
Gray Wolf Condo 2830 $150,000 $150,000 84.65<br />
Madison Court 5 $179,000 $189,500 157.02<br />
Call us directly for up-to-date market information - 406.995.2244<br />
PROPERTY LIST PRICE ORIGINAL<br />
PRICE<br />
62 Candlelight Meadow<br />
Drive<br />
$/SF<br />
$180,000 $180,000 96.83<br />
75 Firelight Drive $174,900 $174,900 94.08<br />
517 Firelight Drive $169,900 $180,700 79.43<br />
397 Firelight Drive $179,900 $179,900 96.77<br />
74 Candlelight Meadow<br />
Drive<br />
$184,900 $184,900 86.44<br />
503 Firelight Drive $195,000 $195,000 91.29<br />
49 Candlelight Meadow<br />
Drive<br />
$201,000 $201,000 93.97<br />
381 Firelight Drive $206,000 $219,000 111.71<br />
277 Candlelight Meadows<br />
Dr<br />
$199,900 $199,900 93.45<br />
2575 Curly Bear Road $225,000 $279,000 173.08<br />
Silverbow 48 $239,000 $375,000 170.71<br />
Deer Run 4E $210,000 $224,900 110.06<br />
677 Sunburst Drive $239,000 $279,000 115.46<br />
2575 Curley Bear Road $239,000 $239,000 137.04<br />
51 Rose Hip Circle $259,000 $259,000 135.32<br />
647 Sunburst Drive $275,000 $275,000 125.46<br />
41 Blue Flax Place $350,000 $350,000 179.49<br />
21 Blue Flax Place $299,000 $315,000 107.25<br />
Deer Run H2 $375,000 $395,000 176.3<br />
C3 Blue Spruce Way $325,000 $375,000 161.21<br />
3525 Ringneck Road $299,000 $299,000 163.93<br />
Deer Run G1 $395,000 $489,900 185.71<br />
Deer Run I2 $375,000 $375,000 176.3<br />
Spanish Peaks Club Condo<br />
16D<br />
$329,000 $399,000 153.74<br />
Deer Run I1 $375,000 $375,000 176.3<br />
F2 Blue Spruce Way $345,000 $345,000 171.13<br />
Spanish Peaks Club Condo<br />
21D<br />
$339,000 $472,500 158.41<br />
Crail Creek Condo 615 $399,000 $495,000 159.6<br />
Spanish Peaks Club Condo<br />
27A<br />
$424,900 $448,000 176.82<br />
Elevation 6000 B1 $550,000 $550,000 203.18<br />
Lone Peak Townhome 10 $499,000 $499,000 207.92<br />
145A Pheasant Tail Rd $444,900 $509,000 173.92<br />
133A Pheasant Tail Lane $497,500 $497,500 166.28<br />
Spanish Peaks Club Condo<br />
8E<br />
$519,900 $549,000 204.04<br />
2265 Little Coyote Road $299,000 $319,900 190.69<br />
2455 Little Coyote $350,000 $350,000 194.44<br />
98 Limber Pine $329,000 $389,000 219.33<br />
2550 Curley Bear Road $426,900 $449,500 144.61<br />
380 Spruce Cone Drive $399,000 $399,000 185.75<br />
2165 Yellowtail Road $299,000 $299,000 91.27<br />
2310 Yellowtail Road $399,900 $599,900 151.48<br />
2695 Curley Bear Road $420,000 $565,000 180.41<br />
50 <strong>Sky</strong>wood Road $429,000 $490,000 336.21<br />
125 Chief Joseph Trail $499,000 $799,000 210.37<br />
1881 Little Coyote Road $437,000 $549,000 174.8<br />
1792 Little Coyote Road $575,000 $675,000 186.45<br />
2715 Little Coyote $599,000 $649,000 239.6<br />
2605 Little Coyote $689,000 $689,000 217.08<br />
466 Antler Ridge Road $633,600 $633,600 113.14<br />
336 Autumn Trail $759,000 $949,000 210.83<br />
121 Silverado Trail $795,000 $795,000 277.97<br />
350 Misty Way $864,000 213.86<br />
170 GRAY OWL LANE $999,000 293.82<br />
1555 Silverado Trail $1,999,995 307.69<br />
229 Amber Lilly Lane $2,695,000 374.31<br />
West Fork Meadows Lot 6 $63,500 $63,500<br />
Block 5 Lot 10 $79,900 $99,900 6.66<br />
Helms, Jamison & Kulesza<br />
JEFF<br />
HELMS<br />
Broker<br />
TALLIE<br />
JAMISON<br />
Associate<br />
RYAN<br />
KULESZA<br />
Broker<br />
406.995.2244 • BIGSKYSIR .COM<br />
PROPERTY LIST PRICE ORIGINAL<br />
PRICE<br />
Michener Meadows Lot 20 $225,000 $685,000<br />
Grey Drake Lot 7 $299,000 $299,000<br />
Moonlight Basin<br />
All statistics included in summary derived from MLS. This material is based upon information which we consider reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we<br />
cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and it should not be relied upon as such. This offering is subject to errors, omissions and changes including price or withdrawal<br />
without notice. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Offi ce in Independently Owned and Operated. If your property is listed with a real estate<br />
broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.<br />
$/SF<br />
Saddle Ridge C2 $314,900 $329,900 178.82<br />
Saddle Ridge F2 $359,000 $359,000 203.86<br />
Saddle Ridge F4 $389,000 $399,000 220.9<br />
Saddle Ridge B2 $410,000 $410,000 232.82<br />
Saddle Ridge D2 $430,000 $430,000 244.18<br />
Saddle Ridge L1 $499,000 $499,000 229.32<br />
Saddle Ridge U1 $595,000 $649,000 276.1<br />
Alpine Meadows Suite 6A $1,295,000 518<br />
Alpine Duplex 1A $1,395,000 604.42<br />
Alpine Meadows Suite 6C $1,595,000 531.67<br />
Luxury Suite 2C $1,495,000 498.33<br />
Cowboy Heaven Cabin 10 $450,000 $699,000 576.92<br />
Cowboy Heaven Cabin 11 $542,000 $865,000 694.87<br />
Mountain Home 60 $895,000 $895,000 349.61<br />
Mountain Home 63 $899,000 $899,000 340.53<br />
Mountain Home 47 $1,079,000 421.48<br />
Alpine Meadows Chalet 76 $1,295,000 488.68<br />
126 Diamond Hitch Road $2,495,000 629.57<br />
10 Hackamore Rd $2,335,000 447.92<br />
17 Renegade Road $3,995,000 574.99<br />
105 Peaks View Drive $4,495,000 620.6<br />
Lot 20 Diamond Hitch $499,000 $499,000<br />
Mountain<br />
The Lodge at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> #320 $32,900 $39,000 71.21<br />
The Lodge at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> #214 $29,900 $29,900 64.72<br />
Hill Condo 1192 $40,000 $40,000 90.91<br />
Hill Condo 1243 $40,000 $48,900 90.91<br />
Hill Condo 1203 $37,950 $54,950 86.25<br />
Hill Condo 1264 $52,000 $52,000 118.18<br />
Hill Condo 1260 $49,000 $49,000 108.89<br />
Hill Condo 1277 $75,000 $99,000 112.28<br />
Hill Condo 1229 $63,000 $65,000 143.18<br />
Hill Condo 1352 $65,000 $125,000 147.73<br />
Hill Condo 1334 $78,000 $78,000 177.27<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 8 $82,000 $82,000 144.88<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 15 $84,000 $84,000 107.28<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 18 $69,000 $175,000 88.12<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 10 $70,000 $70,000 89.4<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 26 $76,500 $172,000 97.7<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 16 $97,000 $97,000 123.88<br />
Cedar Creek Condo 35 $94,900 $179,000 109.33<br />
Stillwater Condo 1021 $129,500 $129,500 242.51<br />
Stillwater Condo 1040 $259,000 $269,000 287.78<br />
Shoshone 1953 $199,000 $199,000 227.17<br />
<strong>Big</strong> Horn 11 $300,000 $325,000 172.71<br />
<strong>Big</strong> Horn 37 $400,000 $635,000 234.6<br />
<strong>Big</strong> Horn 69 $380,000 $495,000 238.24<br />
Village Center Room 208 $449,000 $449,000 590.79<br />
Alpenglow Condo 19A $369,000 $479,000 159.12<br />
Elkhorn Condo 1302 $485,000 $515,000 149.97<br />
Arrowhead 1672 $675,000 $775,000 346.15<br />
Moosewood Condo Unit F $644,900 $644,900 231.15<br />
Black Eagle Lodge 30 $698,000 252.9<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 130 $699,000 $825,000 341.48<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 131 $699,000 $699,000 340.98<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 135 $727,000 $865,000 316.09<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 127 $895,000 $895,000 292.77<br />
Black Eagle Lodge 11 $995,000 $995,000 361.82<br />
PROPERTY LIST PRICE ORIGINAL<br />
PRICE<br />
Visit page 29 for more<br />
information about our team<br />
$/SF<br />
Powder Ridge Cabin 47 $1,195,000 358.43<br />
Summit Hotel Room 1007 $1,600,000 513.31<br />
5 BEEHIVE BASIN Road $849,000 287.8<br />
44 Summit View $1,274,000 148.61<br />
38 Middle Rider Road $1,695,000 339.88<br />
928 Cascade Creek Rd $84,900 $95,900 141.5<br />
Summit View Lot 5 $225,000 $699,000<br />
Cascade Sub Lot 186A $199,000 $395,000<br />
Lot #168A Cascade SD $180,000 $224,900<br />
Cascade 126A $299,000 $299,000<br />
Cascade Lot 340, Block 6 $280,000 $310,000<br />
Cascade Lot 120A $299,000 $350,000<br />
90 Summit View Drive $349,700 $349,700<br />
Ridgeview Lot 3 $890,000 $890,000<br />
Spanish Peaks<br />
Cabin 23 $1,699,000 591.57<br />
Cabin 22 $2,250,000 657.32<br />
6519 Beaver Creek Rd $999,999 571.43<br />
820 Elk Meadow Trail $3,250,000 449.7<br />
658 Elk Meadow Trail $5,000,000 542.53<br />
542.53<br />
Ranch 121 $140,000 $140,000<br />
Ranch 23 $139,900 $255,000<br />
Ranch 122 $195,000 $195,000<br />
Ranch 31 $197,000 $298,000<br />
<strong>Big</strong> EZ Estate 20 $179,900 $229,900<br />
Wildridge 37 $359,000 $359,000<br />
Ski Tip Glade 12 $1,050,000<br />
Yellowstone Club<br />
Sunrise Ridge Condo 42A $2,850,000 740.26<br />
Andesite Ridge Lot 123 $6,750,000 961.4<br />
Andesite Ridge Lot 130 $1,500,000<br />
Andesite Ridge Lot 46, YC<br />
Phases I&II<br />
$1,475,000 $1,475,000<br />
Commercial<br />
Condominium<br />
Lot<br />
Home<br />
HELMS<br />
JAMISON<br />
KULESZA
Condos 121 59%<br />
Homes 55 27%<br />
Land 28 14%<br />
Commercial 2 1%<br />
Sold By Type<br />
With Condo values generally down as<br />
much as 60% from the highs of 2007<br />
and long term vacancies staying below<br />
3%, investor interest in this product<br />
type rose in 2011. Interest in vacant land<br />
continue to lag as replacement costs are<br />
still significantly higher than the cost<br />
of already built homes and condos. We<br />
traded two commercial properties in all<br />
of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> and continue to see a high vacancy<br />
rate in commercial leases.<br />
$0-$100,000 46 22%<br />
$100,001-$200,000 37 18%<br />
$200,001-$300,000 26 13%<br />
$300,001-$400,000 26 13%<br />
$400,001-$500,000 15 7%<br />
$500,001-$600,000 5 2%<br />
$600,001-$1,000,000 26 13%<br />
$1,000,001-$3,000,000 20 10%<br />
$3,000,001-$5,000,000 4 2%<br />
$5,000,000+ 1 0%<br />
Price Ranges Sold<br />
by Transaction Count<br />
A wave of activity occurred in the lower<br />
end market (under $500K) and we expect<br />
it to flow into the higher end market<br />
(over $500K) in 2012. Value opportunities<br />
have been absorbed (read: sold)<br />
in the low end market and buyers have<br />
just started to participate in the higherend<br />
market in an effort to find value in<br />
well-priced inventory.<br />
Profile & Status Updates for our Resorts<br />
Moonlight Basin<br />
Moonlight Basin is a 8,150 acre public business model situated between Lone<br />
Mountain and the Spanish Peaks range in the Jack Creek drainage of Madison<br />
County. There are 1651 residential units fully entitled for development of which<br />
353 have been built and sold. Amenities include a spa, 8,000-yard Jack Nicklaus<br />
golf course (the back 9 holes are completed) and 1,900 acres of pristine groomers,<br />
tree glades, and challenging steep terrain (with more terrain to come). Vacant land<br />
parcels vary in size from 1 acre to 160 acres. Residential options include private<br />
ski-in ski-out homes, cabins, and condos. Much of their real estate can be accessed<br />
on skis to both Moonlight Basin and <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort’s 5,512 skiable acres (with the<br />
Lone Peak Pass). Moonlight Basin filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 and has<br />
worked to restructure their debt. A definitive settlement between Lehmann Commercial<br />
and Moonlight Basin is tentatively scheduled for December 16th (as of<br />
press time). The close of the sale of Moonlight’s assets to Lehmann and an issuance<br />
of final decree will mark an official end to the bankruptcy.<br />
# active listings: 39 $ active listings: $66,792,000<br />
# sold in 2011: 15 $ sold in 2011: $27,711,000<br />
Average sold / sf : $521.26<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort Area<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort is a public business model that is owned and operated by Boyne<br />
Resorts and is capitalized by CNL based in Orlando, Florida. The iconic Mountain<br />
Village operates as the ski area’s hub of activity and nightlife. Amenities<br />
include 3,832 acres of worldclass skiing, including 150 named runs covering over<br />
85 miles on three separate mountains and a tram-accessable 11,166 foot peak,<br />
heated outdoor pools, two hotels, 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course located<br />
in the Meadow. and a variety of on-mountain summer activities. Residential<br />
developer options include ski-in ski-out cabins and slopeside condos, starting at<br />
$149,000. There are no developer land options at this time.<br />
Mountain Village<br />
# active listings: 120 $ active listings: $61,842,650<br />
# sold in 2011: 49 $ sold in 2011: $21,636,250<br />
Average sold / sf : $189.88<br />
Yellowstone Club<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
$0-$100,000 $3,148,834 3%<br />
$100,001-$200,000 $5,518,500 5%<br />
$200,001-$300,000 $6,506,339 6%<br />
$300,001-$400,000 $8,765,525 8%<br />
$400,001-$500,000 $6,512,300 6%<br />
$500,001-$600,000 $2,774,000 3%<br />
$600,001-$1,000,000 $20,087,999 19%<br />
$1,000,001-$3,000,000 $32,885,684 31%<br />
$3,000,001-$5,000,000 $14,945,000 14%<br />
$5,000,000+ $5,300,000 5%<br />
Price Ranges Sold by<br />
Dollar Volume<br />
It is intersecting to see that while the<br />
lower end market (below $500K) represents<br />
75% of the transactions, it is only<br />
31% of the total market volume. It is<br />
many people’s perception that foreclosures<br />
typically occur in the low end market,<br />
but you can see in the list to the left<br />
that there were 4 distressed sales over<br />
$1M this year.<br />
Yellowstone Club is a 13,600 acre private business model encompassing Pioneer<br />
and Eglise Mountains in Madison County, adjacent to Lone Mountain. There<br />
are 864 entitlements of which approximately 345 non-equity residential memberships<br />
have sold since they opened in 2000. Amenities include 2,200 acres of<br />
Private Powder, a Tom Weiskopf 18-hole golf course, first-class fitness center<br />
and outdoor heated pool, 140,000 square foot Warren Miller Lodge housing a<br />
spa, kids’ facilities, and a variety of entertainment and dining outlets. Residential<br />
options include custom homes, 160-acre private ranches, slopeside chalets, and<br />
base lodge Condos which range between $2M and $26M. In 2008, the Club filed<br />
Chapter 11 bankruptcy but has since successfully emerged. They are now well<br />
capitalized by a group comprised of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, LLC, Discovery<br />
Land Company and about 60 members. They have seen strong sales in the<br />
last year due to a re-setting of values in the resale market.<br />
# active listings: Contact Us Directly $ active listings: Contact Us Directly<br />
# sold in 2011: Contact Us Directly $ sold in 2011: Contact Us Directly<br />
Spanish Peaks<br />
The Club at Spanish Peaks is a 5,700 acre private business model situated between<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort and Yellowstone Club on Andesite and Flat Iron Mountains. They<br />
have 850 entitlements of which approximately 318 non-equity Residential and Golf<br />
Memberships have been sold since they opened in 2000. Approximately 40 homes<br />
have been built with about 6 currently under construction. Vacant land parcels<br />
vary in size from 1 acre to 25 acres. Their ski accessible real estate is also uniquely<br />
adjacent to a Tom Weiskopf 18-hole golf course, and offers private access to <strong>Big</strong><br />
<strong>Sky</strong> Resort’s public skiing. A clubhouse acts as the center of activity for members<br />
as well as a yurt near the base of the Southern Comfort lift. In October 2011, their<br />
holding company, Spanish Peaks Holdings II, LLC filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in<br />
a Delaware court. Things are changing daily with respect to their future so please<br />
contact us directly for the must current information.<br />
# active listings: 77 $ active listings: $89,093,688<br />
# sold in 2011: 12 $ sold in 2011: $$13,683,999<br />
Average sold / sf : $562.51<br />
december 16, 2011 31
Two<br />
2012<br />
ways to DELVE into<br />
<strong>New</strong> Year’s <strong>Eve</strong> at<br />
Moonlight Lodge<br />
For the adults...<br />
Join us at Moonlight Lodge for a night of revelry.<br />
Enjoy a special dinner at the new JACK CREEK<br />
GRILLE, followed by music, dancing, party favors and a<br />
champagne toast.<br />
6pm till close<br />
(Dinner seatings available from 6pm - 9pm)<br />
$125 FOR THE ENTIRE EVENING<br />
NOT DINING WITH US? Attend our music<br />
celebration only - $25 AFTER 10PM<br />
32 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>New</strong> Year’s Party<br />
at Headwaters Grille<br />
For the family...<br />
Ring in 2012 with family fun for all ages at HEADWATERS<br />
GRILLE at the Madison Village Base Area!<br />
Celebrate the new year with karaoke, party favor crafts, a<br />
balloon drop, and s’mores around the outdoor fi re pit.<br />
6pm - 9pm<br />
$15 PER PERSON<br />
moonlightbasin.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
For more<br />
information or<br />
reservations for<br />
either event, please<br />
contact Guest<br />
Services at<br />
(406) 995-7600<br />
my mountain is<br />
MOONLIGHT
seCtion 3:<br />
Life // Land //CuLture<br />
gaLLery<br />
In 2009, Rebecca Soulé sent a text<br />
message to her sister-in-law Erin with a<br />
photo of an extraordinary sunset, and a<br />
note saying she loved her. Erin was sick<br />
with leukemia, and Soulé hoped the<br />
photo showing beams of light coming<br />
from the clouds would comfort her.<br />
Erin died two days later.<br />
Several years later, Soulé received a call<br />
from a woman who’d seen that same<br />
image on a business card Soulé had<br />
posted in the Cateye Café in Bozeman.<br />
The woman had lost both of her<br />
parents that year. Seeing that image,<br />
she told Soulé, was the closest to god<br />
she’d ever felt.<br />
“Knowing I could make someone feel<br />
like that was a pivotal point for me,”<br />
Soulé says. “It was the biggest compliment<br />
I’ve ever received.”<br />
That phone call eventually led Soulé<br />
to her next project—a show depicting a<br />
year of sadness and healing in her own<br />
life, told through self-portraits and images<br />
of others.<br />
Soulé, 35, lives in Bozeman with her<br />
3-year-old daughter Olivia. A self-<br />
taught photographer,<br />
she has an intuitive and<br />
emotional connection to<br />
people.<br />
Photography has been a<br />
tool for healing, and something<br />
Soulé never planned<br />
to share with anyone. But<br />
when Erin was diagnosed<br />
with leukemia, it put life<br />
in perspective.<br />
“It made me think about<br />
what I want to do, what<br />
I want to be,” Soulé says.<br />
“Life is short. I realized it<br />
was time to start showing<br />
this work, to actually go<br />
for it.”<br />
She launched her business,<br />
LucaPhotography, in June<br />
2010, figuring if she was “meant to<br />
be in it, it [would] show itself.”<br />
Right away, she published a two<br />
page black and white spread of<br />
canoes on Hyalite Lake, in Outside<br />
Bozeman—a centerfold, she jokes.<br />
A month later she won five awards<br />
in the Gallatin County Fair photo<br />
contest. Her work appeared in Montana<br />
Parent, Kidsville and Healthy<br />
Living soon after.<br />
By late spring, she was shooting<br />
more family portraits and kids,<br />
something she likes because kids are<br />
“silly, and have the freedom to be<br />
themselves.”<br />
Describing herself as a “dual artist,”<br />
Soulé likes this whimsical photography<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
December 16, 2011<br />
Volume 2 // Issue #22<br />
the art of healing: LucaPhotography<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
and also more challenging work where<br />
she can dig deeper into human emotions.<br />
This summer she shot photos with<br />
Family Promise, a nonprofit that helps<br />
and houses homeless families. The<br />
images of volunteers and two homeless<br />
families that hung in the U.S. Bank pagoda<br />
let her realize the potential power<br />
behind her work.<br />
december 16, 2011 33
gaLLery<br />
“I am a life photographer who at times is the visual<br />
messenger.”<br />
When Soulé first found Bozeman in 2004, she was<br />
on a road trip from Seattle and just stopped for a few<br />
hours. Standing on Main Street, she watched people<br />
greeting each other on the street. The community<br />
feeling and artistic energy inspired her, and she knew<br />
she’d found home.<br />
34 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Soulé’s current show, which is hanging in the Nova<br />
Café in Bozeman this December, exemplifies the two<br />
sides of her work. One room holds a visual storyboard<br />
with 11 mostly black and white images showing her<br />
powerful year of transition and growth. The other is a<br />
collection of family portraits.<br />
The first series shows deep emotion—innocence,<br />
vulnerability, wrenching sadness, angst, freedom,<br />
peace and strength. The images include Soulé and her<br />
daughter, and other acquaintances who wanted to be a<br />
part of the project.<br />
Admitting it sounds “a little bit out there,” she says<br />
the participants “showed up when they were supposed<br />
to,” each with something to say. “They came to me to<br />
try and photograph that—to give them a voice. They<br />
were the chosen people.”<br />
The second set of photos is a color collection<br />
that captures kids and families<br />
together, happy. They’re not manicured<br />
family portraits, but are sweet, earthy, and<br />
with a sense of purity.<br />
“I like capturing a child how they are. I<br />
follow them around, sometimes run after<br />
them. I make up crazy jokes to get them to<br />
laugh or smile, put something on top of<br />
my head so they’ll look at the camera.”<br />
This show was cathartic, Soulé says.<br />
“The photography is the art of healing<br />
for me. For this show, I’m hoping it is for<br />
others.” She thinks of it as a gift for others,<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
and none of the photos are for sale.<br />
After a year that was clearly very difficult, Soulé is<br />
confident in life, and loves being a mother and an artist.<br />
“Being a single mom is empowering. It’s kicked my ass,<br />
and it’s made me do this [show]. Because everything I<br />
do is for that little girl. She’s my inspiration, my light.”<br />
Looking around the room at her work, Soulé seems<br />
comfortable with herself.<br />
“This is me. This is my heart and soul.”<br />
lucaphotography.net<br />
lucaphotography@yahoo.com<br />
Rebecca Soule's work is hanging in the Nova Café in<br />
Bozeman for the month of Decemnber
Rob Akey<br />
Greg Alexander<br />
Jim Barrett<br />
Diana Brady<br />
Lynn Cain<br />
Creighton Block<br />
<br />
Todd Connor<br />
Jerral Derryberry<br />
Flavia Eckholm<br />
Edd Enders<br />
Thomas English<br />
Todd Connor<br />
“Protector”<br />
36” x 24”<br />
Charles Fulcher<br />
Mark Gibson<br />
Don Grant<br />
Mimi Grant<br />
Ott Jones<br />
ARTIST PROFILE<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
David Lemon<br />
Asha MacDonald<br />
Mike Patterson<br />
Paula Pearl<br />
Jacqueline Rieder Hud<br />
Shiela Rieman<br />
Daniel San Souci<br />
Deb Schmit<br />
Laurie Stevens<br />
Shirle Wempner<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
MEET ARTIST TODD CONNOR IN PERSON<br />
Wednesday, December 21st from 5:30-7:30pm<br />
BIG SKY TOWN CENTER<br />
10:30 AM - 6:30 PM TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY<br />
MONDAYS BY APPOINTMENT<br />
Todd Connor was born in 1964 and raised in Tulsa, OK. He began painting in pastels and oils at<br />
the age of 12. After high school he joined the Navy, where he served as a Navy SEAL in Coronado,<br />
CA. After military service he toured National Parks and historical sites throughout the<br />
West, and determined to return to painting. After 4 years of study divided between landscape<br />
and figurative work, he received a BFA in 1997 from the prestigious Art Center College of Design<br />
in Pasadena, CA. He briefly worked as a colorboard painter for Universal Studios in Japan before<br />
making the leap to full time painter in 1999.<br />
Todd Connor has met with much success in venues including the CM Russell show and auction in<br />
Great Falls, MT and Settlers West Galleries’ annual Great American West show in Tucson, AZ. His<br />
influences include Impressionists, Asian calligraphy, and early American Illustrators. His exceptional<br />
ability to convey a strong sense of character, as well as a sense of time and place in his art, has led<br />
to commissions and acquisitions by some of the country’s most distinguished art collectors.<br />
406-993-9400<br />
CREIGHTONBLOCKGALLERY.COM<br />
Ar twork also displayed at Outlaw Par tners and Lone Mountain Ranch Dining Room<br />
december 16, 2011 35
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big sky skating and Hockey association opens rink to skaters<br />
new features include lights, memberships and lessons<br />
bsha board<br />
After 10 days of flooding, a day of assembling the<br />
boards and gathering together about 20 ice fans to help<br />
erect the Town Center Ice Rink is open for its second<br />
year of public skating and hockey.<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Skating and Hockey Association has relied<br />
on help from volunteers and donations from numerous<br />
people throughout <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> and Bozeman.<br />
Jason Martel, of Martel Construction and the Bozeman<br />
Ice Dogs hockey team in Bozeman, told BSSHA<br />
board member Ryan Blechta to come to the ice rink in<br />
Bozeman.<br />
“He had an old Zamboni that was back in the day the<br />
old (ice rink’s) backup,” Blechta said.<br />
When Blechta got to the rink and saw the stash of<br />
out-of-use Zambonis, he saw a rundown rust-bucket<br />
that had been sitting in the lumber yard for four<br />
years.<br />
“I saw what it looked like and thought, ‘with a little<br />
sand blast and paint, this Zam could look real nice,”<br />
Blechta said.<br />
Now, after some serious cosmetics and drastic<br />
makeover, and some help from the Yellowstone Club<br />
Community Foundation, the Zamboni shimmers under<br />
a boat of shiny black paint and its propane engine<br />
kicks over at the turn of a key. It doesn’t hurt that the<br />
ice runner keeps warm in the Blechtas’ garage, either.<br />
The group boasts two new full-time lights that<br />
shine on the rink till 11 p.m., and the board hopes<br />
it can gather interested families with skaters and<br />
hockey players to step up and join this year as<br />
members.<br />
The BSSHA has created a schedule and allows<br />
members-only skates on Friday and Sunday<br />
nights, open skating times everyday, and local<br />
hockey player, board member and BSSHA<br />
founder Griffin Kilby will offer hockey lessons<br />
for those looking to learn.<br />
Lady <strong>Big</strong> Horns play first game ever<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> teams swept by mount ellis<br />
By graySon BeLL<br />
big sky weekly Cub rePorter<br />
boys JV<br />
On Saturday, Dec. 10 the Lone Peak High School<br />
basketball teams opened up their season. The three<br />
teams traveled to Mount Ellis Academy for a night<br />
filled with basketball action.<br />
The junior varsity game started off very defensively,<br />
with both teams playing at high intensity, and<br />
stayed this way until the final buzzer. At the end of<br />
the first quarter Lone Peak led 9–5.<br />
Mount Ellis took offensive control in the second<br />
quarter, almost tripling their score from the fist<br />
quarter.<br />
The <strong>Big</strong> Horns came out with almost no offense<br />
except for a mid range jumper and free throw from<br />
Trevor House. Mount Ellis led the <strong>Big</strong> Horns 13–12<br />
at the end of the second.<br />
Coming out of the locker room at halftime it was<br />
much of the same; defense, defense, defense. The<br />
only points for the <strong>Big</strong> Horns came on a 3-pointer by<br />
freshman Griffin House and a shot in the paint by<br />
freshman Justin McKillop.<br />
At the end of the third quarter, Mount Ellis was up<br />
21–17.<br />
In the fourth quarter McKillop came out with unmatched<br />
intensity. McKillop accounted for seven of<br />
the 13 points for the <strong>Big</strong> Horns in the fourth quarter.<br />
McKillop’s late-game intensity was not enough to<br />
bring in a win for the <strong>Big</strong> Horns, and Mount Ellis<br />
won 36–30.<br />
the first annual Pavelich invitational in January 2011.<br />
girls<br />
The LPHS girls played their first game in Lone Peak<br />
High School history that night.<br />
The Lady <strong>Big</strong> Horns were at a disadvantage in numbers,<br />
with six girls to Eagles’ 11. This didn’t stop the<br />
<strong>Big</strong> Horns from hustling and playing great defense.<br />
The first half saw bright glimpses of offense from<br />
freshmen Gabby Michel, Tehya Braun and Gabrielle<br />
Gasser.<br />
In the third quarter the Lady <strong>Big</strong> Horns held the<br />
Eagles to only two points of offense, but in the end,<br />
Mount Ellis was too much for the Lady <strong>Big</strong> Horns.<br />
Mount Ellis won the game 35–12.<br />
Four <strong>Big</strong> Horns starters are freshman and will<br />
continue to improve. Tehya Braun scored half of the<br />
points for the team.<br />
Varsity boys<br />
The varsity boys came from a successful previous<br />
year, but it was apparent from the beginning that<br />
the <strong>Big</strong> Horns had the first game jitters. Junior<br />
Haven Morris, who has looked promising for<br />
years, accounted for more than half of the <strong>Big</strong><br />
Horns’ points.<br />
He ended the night with 19 points and made 3 of<br />
5 from the free throw line. In the end, the Mount<br />
Ellis Eagles showed a higher intensity and desire<br />
to win, and the team won 50–29.<br />
The first home games will be on Jan. 5 against the<br />
Shields Valley Rebels. The <strong>Big</strong> Horns would love<br />
to see the support of the community at that game.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
“These are going to be hockey clinics for kids trying to<br />
learn to play the game,” Kilby said.<br />
There are two ice rinks (one full-sized with boards and<br />
a smaller one for those looking to skate around), warming<br />
hut, permanent lights, and, of course, a brand new<br />
Zamboni to resurface the ice.<br />
The group is excited to announce the rink open and<br />
ready for business.<br />
Now it’s time to get everything ready for the Second<br />
Annual Pavelich Invitational hockey game on Jan. 7.<br />
ophir athletics schedule<br />
dec. 16 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ ennis<br />
dec. 22 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ Sheridan<br />
Jan. 5 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs. Shields valley<br />
Jan. 6 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ gardiner<br />
Jan. 7 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs. twin Bridges<br />
Jan. 10 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ West<br />
yellowstone<br />
Jan. 12 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. omS Boys' Basketball @ gallatin<br />
gateway<br />
Jan. 14 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ Lima<br />
Jan. 16 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. omS Boys' Basketball @ heritage<br />
Christian School<br />
Jan.17 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs mt. ellis<br />
Jan. 19 4 p.m.– 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs. harrison,<br />
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. omS Boys' Basketball @ monforton<br />
School<br />
Jan. 21 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs ennis<br />
Jan. 26 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball @ Shields valley<br />
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. omS Boys' Basketball @ mt. ellis<br />
Jan. 27 omS 5th & 6th grade Boys' Basketball tournament<br />
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. LPhS Basketball vs. gardiner<br />
Jan. 28 omS 5th & 6th grade Boys' Basketball tournament<br />
Jan. 31 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. omS Boys' Basketball vs gvhS<br />
december 16, 2011 37
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SPortS<br />
end the bcs<br />
By Brandon niLeS<br />
It’s bowl season in college football,<br />
which means it’s time for my annual<br />
Bowl Championship Series rant.<br />
<strong>Eve</strong>ry year there’s a controversy over<br />
which two teams are selected by the<br />
BCS to play in the National Championship<br />
game. Unlike virtually every<br />
other organized team sport (including<br />
FCS), the NCAA uses a complicated<br />
computer ranking system called the<br />
BCS to determine the two best football<br />
teams in the country.<br />
This year, it’s hard to argue that the<br />
undefeated LSU doesn’t deserve their<br />
spot, but many question the inclusion<br />
of Alabama, who already lost to LSU<br />
during the regular season. Both teams<br />
are in the Southeastern Conference,<br />
raising the usual questions of conference<br />
bias, and preference toward<br />
schools with large football programs.<br />
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State has been<br />
strong all year, and likewise has only<br />
one loss. The team ranks No. 3 in the<br />
BCS.<br />
Stanford boasts arguably the best<br />
quarterback in the country, Andrew<br />
Luck, and it too has only one loss<br />
against an impressive Oregon team<br />
that played in the National Championship<br />
game last year. The BCS ranks<br />
Stanford No. 4.<br />
Are Oklahoma State and Stanford<br />
really not as deserving as Alabama for<br />
a shot at a national title this season?<br />
We’ll never know, because those two<br />
teams will be playing in the Tostitos<br />
Fiesta Bowl instead.<br />
Are Alabama and LSU the two best<br />
teams in the country? It’s certainly<br />
possible that they are, but we can’t say<br />
for certain. When a team in a lesser<br />
conference goes undefeated, such as<br />
the Boise State and TCU teams of recent<br />
years, are we certain that because<br />
their schedules aren’t perceived to<br />
be as difficult they don’t deserve a<br />
chance at a championship?<br />
Houston nearly went undefeated this<br />
year, but at no point did they ever<br />
have a legitimate chance at being selected<br />
for the title game. How can we<br />
tell the players for teams like Houston<br />
that the games they play in really<br />
matter?<br />
The solution is a playoff system.<br />
There are 11 conferences. Give every<br />
conference winner a playoff spot,<br />
and add five at large teams based on<br />
record, strength of schedule, and any<br />
other factors. With 16 playoff teams,<br />
that allows for a playoff system to run<br />
four consecutive weeks, similar to the<br />
FCS system.<br />
The bowl games can remain, but they<br />
would simply become playoff games.<br />
There’s no reason this wouldn’t work,<br />
and it would certainly mitigate the<br />
risk of leaving any of the best teams<br />
out of the hunt for the National<br />
Championship.<br />
Imagine if the NCAA decided to create<br />
a BCS system for other sports, like<br />
basketball. There would be no more<br />
upsets, no more March Madness, no<br />
more bracket games. Fans would be<br />
outraged. If the BCS applied to the<br />
NFL, the NBA, or the MLB, fans<br />
wouldn’t stand for it.<br />
This kind of system has never been<br />
considered for other sports because<br />
it’s ridiculous. Just as the BCS system<br />
is ridiculous for any other sport, it’s<br />
ridiculous for college football as well.<br />
The time has come to end the annual<br />
controversies. It’s time to install a<br />
playoff system in college football and<br />
end the BCS.<br />
Brandon Niles has done online freelance<br />
writing about the NFL since<br />
2007. His articles range from NFL<br />
news to team-specific commentary. A<br />
Communication Studies graduate student<br />
at the University of North Carolina<br />
Greensboro, Niles is also an avid<br />
Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to<br />
his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan<br />
over the past decade.<br />
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building in<br />
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Phone: 406-995-4579 • Fax: 406-995-4043<br />
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<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
new study reveals north america’s biggest dinosaur<br />
researchers from mSu and Pennsylvania publish work on alamosaurus<br />
msu news serviCe<br />
msu news serviCe<br />
Ellen-Thérèse Lamm thinly slices a dinosaur bone,<br />
then takes photographs of the fossils under a polarizedlight<br />
microscope.<br />
The images, which she<br />
describes as beautiful<br />
and intriguing, indicate<br />
different types of biological<br />
tissue, and show the<br />
orientation of fibers in<br />
the original bone. The<br />
thin-section slides and<br />
photomicrographs allow<br />
scientists to answer questions<br />
regarding dinosaur<br />
growth, physiology and<br />
even behavior.<br />
SCienCe<br />
<strong>New</strong> research has unveiled enormous<br />
bones from North America’s biggest<br />
dinosaur, Alamosaurus.<br />
In a paper published Dec. 6 in Acta<br />
Palaeontologica Polonica, MSU<br />
researcher Denver W. Fowler and<br />
coauthor Robert M. Sullivan from<br />
Harrisburg, Pa., describe two gigantic<br />
vertebrae and a femur that the team<br />
collected in <strong>New</strong> Mexico from 2003<br />
this serrated tyrannosaurus tooth was found with<br />
other alamosaurus bones, showing that these two<br />
dinosaur giants coexisted in the same ecosystem.<br />
image CourteSy of denver foWLer<br />
Polarized light passing<br />
through a thin-section of<br />
bone is split at different<br />
angles depending on the<br />
structure and organization of the crystal structures. It<br />
is then re-collected by an analyzer and delivered to the<br />
eye in a variety of colors and patterns. Manipulating<br />
light conditions allows analysis of the optical qualities<br />
of a sample, Lamm says, and also produces extraordinary<br />
images.<br />
to 2006. Carrying the vertebrae alone<br />
took most of a day because the paleontologists<br />
carried them 1.2 miles<br />
through 100-degree heat, Fowler<br />
said.<br />
Alamosaurus sanjuanensis is a longnecked<br />
plant eater related to Diplodocus.<br />
The Alamosaurus roamed what<br />
is now the southwestern U.S. and<br />
Mexico about 69 million years ago.<br />
Alamosaurus has been known for<br />
some time,<br />
Fowler says. Its<br />
remains were<br />
first described in<br />
1922 from the<br />
Naashoibito beds<br />
of <strong>New</strong> Mexico.<br />
Since then, more<br />
bones have been<br />
discovered in <strong>New</strong><br />
Mexico, Utah,<br />
Texas and Mexico.<br />
Microscopic images of dino bones have intrigue, scientific significance<br />
Some of Lamm’s favorite images<br />
are part of a 2012 fundraising<br />
calendar that she produced<br />
for the museum of the<br />
rockies. “dinosaurs under the<br />
microscope – Paleohistology”<br />
has images of dinosaur bone,<br />
modern animal specimens, as<br />
well as photos of mSu graduate<br />
students and horner doing<br />
paleontological research.<br />
available in the museum of<br />
the rockies gift shop, the mSu<br />
Bookstore, in downtown Bozeman<br />
at Country Bookshelf and<br />
at morhistologylab.org.<br />
The sheer size of<br />
the new bones<br />
caught the researchers<br />
by surprise,<br />
however.<br />
“We used to think<br />
that a fully grown<br />
Alamosaurus<br />
measured around<br />
60 feet long and<br />
weighed about<br />
30 tons,” Fowler<br />
said. “But a 2009<br />
study by another<br />
As manager of the Gabriel Lab<br />
for Cellular and Molecular<br />
Paleontology at the Museum<br />
of the Rockies, Lamm receives<br />
material from dinosaur researchers<br />
worldwide.<br />
She’s one of very<br />
few people who<br />
does paleohistology<br />
techniques,<br />
meaning she’s a<br />
“slicer and dicer of<br />
dinosaur bones.”<br />
MSU researcher, Dr. Holly Woodward,<br />
found that a femur thought to<br />
belong to an adult was still growing.”<br />
While this indicated that Alamosaurus<br />
got even bigger, they didn’t imagine<br />
that it could get quite this big.<br />
The enormity of the new bones puts<br />
Alamosaurus in the same size league<br />
as other giant sauropods from South<br />
America, including Argentinosaurus,<br />
which weighed about 70 tons and is<br />
considered to be the biggest dinosaur<br />
of all.<br />
“Over the past 20 years, Argentinean<br />
and Brazilian paleontologists have<br />
been unearthing bigger and bigger dinosaurs,<br />
putting the rest of the world<br />
in the shade,” Fowler said.<br />
Their new finds, however, show not<br />
only that Alamosaurus was likely the<br />
largest North American dinosaur, but<br />
also that it was on par with the South<br />
American species.<br />
Giant specimens of sauropods like<br />
Alamosaurus and Argentinosaurus are<br />
only known from very fragmentary<br />
remains, offering only a tantalizing<br />
glimpse of what a complete Alamosaurus<br />
might look like, Fowler said.<br />
But in order to dig up one of the<br />
world’s biggest dinosaurs, you need<br />
one of the world’s biggest dinosaur<br />
digging teams.<br />
Working with paleontology<br />
curator<br />
Jack Horner, Lamm<br />
co-authored a recent<br />
paper that described<br />
the unique tissue<br />
growth strategies<br />
that Triceratops used<br />
to ultimately grow<br />
such a massive expanded frill. The paper<br />
was published in April in a French journal of paleontology<br />
and evolutionary sciences.<br />
This research supported the MSU discovery that Triceratops<br />
and were actually the same type of dinosaur at<br />
different stages of growth, with Torosaurus being the<br />
The Pennsylvania State Museum<br />
field crew is typically just two or<br />
three people, which limits how many<br />
bones can be collected per season,<br />
Fowler said. <strong>Eve</strong>n so, many important<br />
specimens have been recovered over<br />
the past 10 to 15 years, including new<br />
species, and other members of the<br />
fauna including the iconic carnivore<br />
Tyrannosaurus.<br />
“We found a shed Tyrannosaurus<br />
tooth with another Alamosaurus<br />
neck bone that we were excavating,”<br />
Fowler said. “The Tyrannosaurus may<br />
have lost its tooth while feeding on<br />
an Alamosaurus carcass.”<br />
The Alamosaurus discovery has important<br />
implications for other dinosaurs,<br />
Fowler said. Recent discoveries<br />
by paleontologist Jack Horner’s paleo<br />
lab at the Museum of the Rockies<br />
have emphasized the importance of<br />
understanding growth and origins in<br />
interpreting dinosaur evolution.<br />
“Increasingly, we’re finding that<br />
very large or small individuals often<br />
look very different, and are often<br />
described as different species,”<br />
Fowler said. “Our findings show that<br />
Alamosaurus was originally described<br />
based on immature material, [which<br />
is] a problem as characteristics that<br />
define a species are typically only<br />
fully gained at adult size. This means<br />
that we might be misinterpreting the<br />
relationships of Alamosaurus and<br />
possibly other sauropod dinosaurs<br />
too.”<br />
this image of a tyrannosaurus rex foot bone shows bone tissue<br />
that has been remodeled by erosion and re-deposition. the variety<br />
in color depends on the arrangement of mineral crystals and<br />
fibers in the bone. Each small black dot used to house a single<br />
bone cell. Some circular and elongated spaces for blood supply<br />
are also visible. Photo By eLLen-thérèSe Lamm<br />
mature adult stage of Triceratops, Lamm said. MSU<br />
graduate student John Scannella and Horner published<br />
that finding in July 2010 in the Journal of Vertebrate<br />
Paleontology, upending a long-standing belief that Triceratops<br />
and Torosaurus were different dinosaurs.<br />
Adapted from an article originally written by <strong>Eve</strong>lyn<br />
Boswell<br />
december 16, 2011 41
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For those who enjoy the outdoors and<br />
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Birders have a strong information network<br />
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The annual Christmas Bird Count—which<br />
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The Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 17-20,<br />
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Last year, participants turned in more than<br />
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15 minutes. The four-day count typically<br />
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eggbar–Vise<br />
By greg aLLred<br />
CertiFied teCh rei bozeman<br />
When I saw the Eggbar-Vise for the<br />
first time I was skeptical; it seems that<br />
all contraptions I’ve used to hold skis<br />
or a board while tuning has been based<br />
upon the same concept as everything<br />
before it.<br />
Either there’s no way to hold the ski<br />
in place for procedures requiring force<br />
on the base of the ski, or the clamping<br />
mechanism is hampered by variability<br />
in sidewall shape, construction or ski<br />
width. Most of the vises I’ve used in<br />
shops required readjustment every<br />
time a new ski was being worked on.<br />
These wasted efforts and minutes<br />
multiplied over the course of a day, and<br />
were frustrating.<br />
The Eggbar-Vise’s strength is its<br />
simplicity. The ski tip is held under the<br />
bar at the head of the vise, so the ski’s<br />
weight holds it in place. The tail piece<br />
slides in tracks, supporting the ski tail.<br />
Tension can be adjusted by sliding the<br />
tip in or out of the headpiece. The slot<br />
in the head and tail pieces allows the ski<br />
or board to be placed on edge for sidewall<br />
work or to sharpen a side edge.<br />
The working surfaces of the vise are<br />
covered in a grippy weather seal, which<br />
is easily replaced as it gets torn up.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
After a month of hard use, it still looks<br />
nearly new. Replacing it a few times a<br />
season would be worth the time and<br />
effort saved by the vise itself.<br />
I only ran into a few issues when using<br />
the Eggbar-Vise. Since the flex of the<br />
ski is what is holding it in place, I ran<br />
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slowly slip backwards out of the head<br />
piece when scraping very hard on a soft<br />
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The fact that this device was developed<br />
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to my liking of it. Ace Fisher, the vise’s<br />
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to the design very quickly in response.<br />
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december 16, 2011 45
outdoorS<br />
view of hylaite Canyon<br />
Photo By Brian niLeS<br />
the 15th annual<br />
bozeman ice<br />
climbing festival<br />
46 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
By emiLy StifLer<br />
big sky weekly managing editor<br />
The 15th annual Bozeman Ice Festival<br />
was the biggest one yet. <strong>Big</strong> sponsors<br />
like Arc’teryx showed up; on-ice<br />
clinics filled right away; and almost<br />
600 people packed the Emerson theatre<br />
for Friday and Saturday night’s<br />
evening presentations.<br />
“I think this is one of the best grassroots<br />
community-based consumer ice<br />
Festivals that’s ever been put together,”<br />
said Jack Tackle, a Montana<br />
native and world-renowned alpinist.<br />
From beginners to experts in the<br />
sport, and everything in between, it<br />
addressed everyone’s needs, Tackle<br />
said, especially the community and<br />
the social aspects of climbing.<br />
This year’s event featured a historical<br />
retrospective of waterfall ice climb-<br />
A 7-year-old excels his first day ice climbing Photo By Brian niLeS Photo By Brian niLeS<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
ing over 40 years, and drew a host<br />
of climbing’s greatest characters, including<br />
climbing pioneer Jeff Lowe.<br />
Known for making more than 1,000<br />
cutting edge first ascents in North<br />
America, the Alps and the Himalaya,<br />
“Lowe was the most influential ice<br />
climber of all time,” said festival<br />
organizer and accomplished climber<br />
Joe Josephson.<br />
In a powerful moment on Saturday<br />
night, Lowe, now in a wheelchair<br />
with Multiple Sclerosis, came on<br />
stage and talked about his experiences<br />
climbing, and about what he<br />
remembered most: the places he<br />
visited, and the people he spent time<br />
with.<br />
Lowe struck upon the theme of the<br />
fest overall. Old friends and new, all<br />
tied by the bonds of adventure.
outdoorS<br />
groups prepare to hit the ice Photo By emiLy StifLer<br />
breaking through<br />
on Hyalite ice<br />
By marCie hahn-knoff<br />
big sky weekly Contributor<br />
Tiny bits of ice explode from the surface<br />
with each kick. I glance at my picks as I<br />
remove them carefully from the ice and<br />
whack them into the frozen surface a<br />
tiny bit higher. Their jagged structure<br />
reminds me of a 21st century pterodactyl<br />
skull. Spikes bristle from my feet. I<br />
try not to concentrate on how tiny the<br />
points of steel are that hold my body<br />
weight against gravity.<br />
I have never been much of an ice climber.<br />
Skiing has defined my winter sporting<br />
life for decades. Despite moving to the<br />
ice climbing mecca of Montana and<br />
marrying a member of the ice climbing<br />
mafia, I’ve only spent a handful of days<br />
out each year. Intimidated at being a<br />
novice in such a demanding sport, I was<br />
anxious about ascending too slowly and<br />
looking like a hack.<br />
Lack of snow and less then stellar ski<br />
conditions this year tipped the scales, inspiring<br />
me to take a Bozeman Ice Festival<br />
women’s clinic. I hoped climbing with<br />
a group of skilled ladies might help my<br />
technique and give me a better grip on<br />
climbing in winter.<br />
Single digit morning temperatures seep<br />
through the multiple layers of insulation<br />
and down I’m wearing. I focus on a<br />
fringe of sunny illumination growing on<br />
the ridgeline across the canyon—it will<br />
be hours before the sun’s warmth makes<br />
it our way. High on a snowy bench in<br />
Hyalite Canyon, our training ground for<br />
the day is Mummy II, which is currently<br />
busy with more women climbers than I<br />
recall ever seeing in Hyalite at once.<br />
On my first climb, I peck at the icy surface<br />
with unsure blows. Slowly I ascend,<br />
trying to apply the numerous tips on<br />
form and efficiency discussed before I<br />
stepped off the ground. But right away<br />
I revert to previous ice climbing experiences,<br />
grappling with what my body<br />
should be doing while my mind does<br />
summersaults—this the beginning of an<br />
all too common negative self-dialogue.<br />
Voices drift from below, a mix of encouraging<br />
words and helpful reminders. My<br />
mind snaps back to a more positive focus.<br />
Match your feet, stand up, hips into the<br />
ice, aim and fire your axes. The movements<br />
become more methodical and a<br />
system for success begins to develop in<br />
my actions. I continue moving upward.<br />
My movement is becoming more exact,<br />
and the reassuring thunks of well-sunk<br />
axes resonate through the air.<br />
As the day progresses, ladies succeed on<br />
harder climbs. The women in the group<br />
flow seamlessly between belaying and<br />
climbing, sharing reassuring thoughts<br />
and honest critiques on technique and<br />
style, questioning one another on goals,<br />
strengths and weaknesses for each climb.<br />
Laughter comes easily, and it occurs to<br />
me that despite the cold and at times wet<br />
conditions, I’m having a blast.<br />
Our time runs low and we head for the<br />
car. I am plainly aware that a transformation<br />
has happened. After one day, I’m<br />
already becoming a more confident ice<br />
climber. I am amazed at what is possible<br />
when a group of women venture into<br />
the mountains together. I’m already<br />
plotting my next visit to the ice.<br />
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explorebigsky.com<br />
three women climb mummy ii Photo By emiLy StifLer<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
HOOPLAHULAHOOPS<br />
december 16, 2011 47
48 december 16, 2011<br />
noun: wild or rough terrain<br />
adjacent to a developed area<br />
origin: shortened form of<br />
“back 40 acres”<br />
Msu graduate head of new<br />
White House initiative<br />
By anne CantreLL<br />
msu news serviCe<br />
This December, President Obama<br />
named a Montana State University<br />
graduate head of the newly created<br />
White House Initiative on<br />
American Indian and Alaska Native<br />
Education.<br />
William Mendoza, who earned<br />
a master's degree in educational<br />
leadership from MSU in 2010, will<br />
head the initiative that is designed<br />
to help expand educational opportunities<br />
and improve educational<br />
outcomes for all American Indian<br />
and Alaska Native students.<br />
The initiative also aims to further<br />
opportunities for the students<br />
to learn their native languages,<br />
This is how <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> gets<br />
into hot water.<br />
cultures and histories and receive a<br />
complete and competitive education<br />
that prepares them for college and a<br />
career. It was established by an executive<br />
order that President Obama<br />
signed Dec. 2.<br />
In a release from the U.S. Department<br />
of Education, Mendoza said<br />
the initiative will work to identify<br />
pathways that enable those who<br />
have dropped out to re-enter the<br />
education training pipeline, acquire<br />
industry-recognized credentials and<br />
obtain sustainable jobs, and expand<br />
access to high-quality education<br />
programs leading to career advancement,<br />
especially in the STEM (science,<br />
technology, engineering and<br />
math) fields.<br />
Nordic Hot Tub<br />
We service what we sell!<br />
Spa sales to fit your budget<br />
Pool and spa care after the sale<br />
Custom maintenance plans<br />
Spa covers and custom lifts<br />
Lots of accessories for your spa<br />
Special orders available<br />
www.<strong>Big</strong><strong>Sky</strong>HotTubs.com<br />
(406) 995-4892 • NordicHotTub@aol.com<br />
47520 Gallatin Rd. • <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, MT 59716<br />
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<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
for the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly, the Back 40 is a resource: a<br />
place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts<br />
to share their knowledge. topics include regional<br />
history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and<br />
avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or<br />
outdoor skills, and science.<br />
“We're working<br />
hard to reduce the<br />
American Indian<br />
and Alaska Native<br />
student dropout<br />
rate and making<br />
sure students who<br />
stay in high school<br />
are ready to start<br />
their career by the<br />
time they complete<br />
college,” Mendoza<br />
said.<br />
Previously, Mendoza<br />
was acting director<br />
of the White<br />
House Initiative<br />
on Tribal Colleges<br />
and Universities,<br />
or WHITCU. The<br />
office works to<br />
ensure that the<br />
nation's tribal colleges<br />
and universities<br />
are more fully<br />
recognized, better<br />
informed and given<br />
full access to federal<br />
programs.<br />
Mendoza, who is an enrolled Oglala<br />
Sioux and has deep Sicangu Sioux<br />
roots, grew up on the Pine Ridge<br />
and Rosebud Indian Reservations in<br />
South Dakota.<br />
Before enrolling in MSU's Indian<br />
Leadership Education and Development,<br />
or I LEAD, program, Mendoza<br />
received a bachelor's degree from Fort<br />
Lewis College in Durango, Colo. He<br />
also attended Haskell Indian National<br />
University in Lawrence, Kan.<br />
Then, he worked as a high school<br />
teacher in Pine Ridge, S.D. He said<br />
earlier this year in an interview with<br />
MSU that he appreciated that teachers<br />
have a tremendous ability to make<br />
a difference in students' lives, but he<br />
was also frustrated by the limits of<br />
what he could do as a teacher.<br />
"<strong>Eve</strong>ry time I let my students go out<br />
of my classroom, I felt like I was<br />
letting them go into harm's way,"<br />
Mendoza said. "So I decided, 'I need to<br />
do more.'"<br />
With a desire to be more involved<br />
in school reform, Mendoza considered<br />
becoming a principal, where<br />
William mendoza, who earned a master's degree in<br />
educational leadership from montana State university<br />
in 2010, has been named head of the newly created<br />
White house initiative on american indian and<br />
alaska native education. Photo CourteSy of WiLLiam<br />
mendoza.<br />
he thought he would have opportunities<br />
to make lasting impacts.<br />
That's when he discovered MSU's I<br />
LEAD program, which, since 2006,<br />
recruited, educated, certified and<br />
placed American Indian educators<br />
in administrative positions in<br />
schools with high populations of<br />
American Indian students.<br />
"I was excited to see a program<br />
that catered to American Indians,"<br />
Mendoza said. "At the time, I knew<br />
a lot of representatives of American<br />
Indians in (principal and superintendent)<br />
positions were few and far<br />
between."<br />
Mendoza said he left the program<br />
with "tremendous knowledge" and<br />
has been able to apply that knowledge<br />
to his work.<br />
U.S. Education Secretary Arne<br />
Duncan, who announced Mendoza's<br />
appointment, said Mendoza's<br />
"exceptional leadership in reinvigorating<br />
collaboration between<br />
federal agencies, educators and<br />
tribal leaders will be invaluable as<br />
we move forward in addressing the<br />
challenges that face our American<br />
Indian and Alaska Native students."
seCtion 4:<br />
entertainment//eventS//Ski areaS<br />
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<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
December 16, 2011<br />
Volume 2 // Issue #22<br />
Winter concert series features local, international performers<br />
By Brian hurLBut<br />
big sky arts CounCil<br />
This winter, the Arts Council of<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> will host the ninth annual<br />
Peggy Dicken Schwer Memorial<br />
Fund Concert Series. These intimate<br />
dinner concerts are a great<br />
way to see and hear regional and<br />
international musicians, with great<br />
food served by some of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>’s<br />
best chefs.<br />
The muir string Quartet<br />
Wednesday, Jan. 11, Talus Room at<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort<br />
In its 33rd season, the nationally<br />
known Muir String Quartet has<br />
distinguished itself among audiences<br />
and critics with its “exhilarating<br />
involvement” (Boston<br />
Globe),"impeccable voicing and intonation"<br />
(San Francisco Examiner)<br />
and "unbridled musicality" (American<br />
Record Guide). The Muir is<br />
committed to the great European<br />
tradition learned from mentors,<br />
the Budapest and Guarneri string<br />
quartets.<br />
Licensed by Montana Board of<br />
Out tters #5278 and the Gallatin<br />
National Forest<br />
The bozeman Intermountain opera<br />
Thursday, Feb. 9, Buck’s T-4 Lodge<br />
This local opera company has been<br />
around since 1979, and has continued<br />
to grow and attract operagoers, not<br />
only in Bozeman, but from other parts<br />
of Montana and neighboring states as<br />
well. They will present a short opera,<br />
“Sweet Betsy From Pike,” and a selection<br />
of well-known arias.<br />
Dos mayos, with special guests<br />
michael blessing and eddie T<br />
Sunday, Feb. 26, Talus Room at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Resort<br />
This Bozeman group plays unique<br />
arrangements and adaptations of Latin,<br />
jazz, blues and Americana. Its distinctive<br />
style, with tight instrumental<br />
and vocal blends, makes Dos Mayos a<br />
standout in the region. Tana Mayo, a<br />
gifted vocalist, flutist and percussionist,<br />
has influences including Natalie Cole,<br />
Herbie Mann, Alison Krauss and Diane<br />
Schuur. Rich Mayo is an exceptional<br />
guitarist, vocalist and harmonica player<br />
who spent years writing, arranging and<br />
recording music, playing on everything<br />
from radio and TV jingles to musical<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, Montana<br />
406-995-3888<br />
CDs. Michael Blessing<br />
brings a blend of percussion<br />
and rhythm to<br />
the group.<br />
Pavel egorov<br />
Saturday, March 24,<br />
Talus Room at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Resort<br />
Don't miss this<br />
incredible opportunity<br />
to hear one of the<br />
world's most decorated<br />
pianists. A graduate<br />
of Moscow State<br />
Conservatory and the<br />
St. Petersburg State<br />
Conservatory, Egorov<br />
lives in St. Petersburg<br />
and has performed in<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> once before. His awards include<br />
First Prize and Golden Medal from the<br />
Schumann International Competition<br />
in Zwickau, Germany, and the International<br />
Schumann Prize; and the Order<br />
of Polish Republic Merit in Culture.<br />
Mr. Egorov is also a renowned music researcher<br />
and scientific editor, Honorary<br />
Member of the Philharmonic Society<br />
in St. Petersburg, and an active member<br />
Featuring...<br />
of the St. Petersburg Department of<br />
Education and Scientific Development<br />
of the Russian Academy of Natural<br />
Sciences.<br />
The Arts Council of <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> is a nonprofit<br />
organization founded in 1989. Check<br />
bigskyarts.org for a complete schedule,<br />
or call the ACBS office at (406) 995-<br />
2742. Tickets are by reservation only<br />
and must be made by calling the office.<br />
Sleigh Ride Dinners<br />
Day Sleigh Rides<br />
Heated Sleighs<br />
Winter Trail Rides<br />
Fly Fishing<br />
COWBOY COOKOUTS<br />
Fun for the entire family!<br />
december 16, 2011 49<br />
CaC<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, M<br />
406-995
December Music<br />
Sat. 12/17 Jeff Belino 5-7 p.m.<br />
10 ft. Tall and 80 Proof 9 p.m.<br />
($5 Cover)<br />
Fri. 12/23 Bottom of the Barrel 9 p.m.<br />
Sat. 12/24 Tom Marino 5-7 p.m.<br />
Fri. 12/30<br />
OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 A.M.<br />
50 december 16, 2011<br />
NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK<br />
APRÉS SKI<br />
LUNCH & DINNER<br />
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<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
HEADQUARTERS<br />
The Boozehounds 9 p.m.<br />
($5 Cover)<br />
Sat. 12/31 Eli Madden 5-7 p.m.<br />
“<strong>New</strong> Year’s <strong>Eve</strong> <strong>Bash</strong>” The Tom<br />
Cook Band and the Boozehounds<br />
9 p.m. ($10 Cover)*<br />
*Patron Snowboard Giveaway at Midnight<br />
Open Mic <strong>Eve</strong>ry Tuesday Night (Starting Dec. 6)<br />
Now offering<br />
NACHOS &<br />
QUESADILLAS!<br />
49 CENT WINGS<br />
during all NFL & College<br />
football games<br />
through Dec. 19th<br />
HAPPY<br />
HOUR<br />
MONDAY-FRIDAY<br />
4:00-6:00 P.M.<br />
$1 off any beer, wine<br />
or mixed drink<br />
LOCATED IN THE BIG SKY<br />
TOWN CENTER<br />
big sky, montana<br />
406-995-3830
Beer<br />
This seasonal brew is made once a<br />
year and based on Lone Peak’s popular<br />
Hippy Highway Oatmeal Stout. It’s<br />
aged in 18 year Elijah Craig bourbon<br />
barrels (from the Heaven Hills Distillery<br />
in Kentucky) for 3.5 months.<br />
The brew has a heavy bourbon character<br />
with vanilla tones and an oaky<br />
essence captured from the barrels.<br />
Served in a snifter or balloon style<br />
glass to express its specific aroma, this<br />
stout is the most anticipated release<br />
of the year, said brewmaster Steve<br />
Nordahl.<br />
Bourbon stout pairs well with beef<br />
and pork, especially the smoked kind.<br />
Nordahl has even used the stout to<br />
make ice cream, barbeque sauce and<br />
a bourbon stout reduction to use as a<br />
heavy drizzle.<br />
The batch is twice as big as last year’s,<br />
and is the largest Lone Peak has made<br />
since starting brewing the stout three<br />
years ago. There will be about 24 kegs<br />
available starting the week of Dec. 19.<br />
Get it before it’s gone!<br />
BourbonLabel 1<br />
Bottled Conditioned<br />
_____________________________________________<br />
Steve T. Nordahl, Brewmaster<br />
_____________________________________________<br />
Andy Liedberg, Assistant Brewer<br />
Bottle Number: Bottling Date:<br />
GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon<br />
General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during<br />
pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption<br />
of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or<br />
operate machinery, and may cause health problems.<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
lone peak brewery’s bourbon barrel stout<br />
By aBBie digeL<br />
big sky weekly editor<br />
J U L I E B L A K E L E Y<br />
BIG SKY RIVER PROPERTY FIRELIGHT CHALET 87<br />
Sleeps up to 10 comfortably in this spacious 3<br />
bedroom, 5 bath, San Marino on the Gallatin, log<br />
cabin. $694,000. Call to view.<br />
CEDAR CREEK 27 HILL CONDO 1200<br />
Fantastic valued ski condo in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>! This first floor<br />
Cedar Creek condo has 2 BR, 2 BA, perfect for a<br />
family ski condo. $140,000. Call to view.<br />
3 BR, 3 BA, open floor plan, attached garage,<br />
impeccably furnished close to Town Center.<br />
$199,900. Call to view.<br />
This top floor Hill Condo has an unbelievable price<br />
and is in great condition! Remodeled recently, 440<br />
SF, studio, 1 BA, walk to the ski lifts. $50,000. Call<br />
to view.<br />
SPANISH PEAKS NORTH 77 CHACE MONTANA 2G<br />
With 4.39 acres amid mature trees and great views of Remodeled from the studs in 2005, this condo even<br />
the Spanish Peaks, you must see this lot! $375,000. has it’s own hot water heater and breaker box. Ideal<br />
for residential and/or commercial usage. 1 BR, 1 BA.<br />
$87,900. Call to view.<br />
J u l i e B l a k e l e y<br />
B i g S k y S o t h e b y s I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a l t y<br />
j u l i e . b l a k e l e y @ s o t h e b y s r e a l t y . c o m | + 1 4 0 6 . 5 7 9 . 6 4 7 3<br />
1 9 M e a d o w V i l l a g e D r i v e | Bi<br />
g S k y , M o n t a n a 59<br />
7 1 6<br />
©M M X I S o t h e b y ’ s I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a l t y A f f i l i a t e s L L C . A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . V i l l a g e H o u s e s , u s e d w i t h p e r m i s s i o n . S o t h e b y ’ s I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a l t y ® i s a l i c e n s e d t r a d e m a r k t o S o t h e b y ’ s I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e a l t y A f f i l i a t e s L L C . A n E q u a l O p p o r t u n i t y<br />
C o m p a n y . E q u a l H o u s i n g O p p o r t u n i t y . E a c h O f f i c e I s I n d e p e n d e n t l y O w n e d A n d O p e r a t e d .<br />
750 ml (1 pint 9.36 oz.)<br />
OPENING<br />
WINTER<br />
SEASON<br />
HOUSE SPECIALTIES<br />
Herb Crusted Fish & Chips<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Shepherd’s Pie<br />
10 oz NY Steak<br />
Veal Schnitzel<br />
Oven Roasted Cornish Game Hen<br />
PLUS<br />
Small Plates<br />
Sandwiches<br />
Burgers<br />
& HOME<br />
OF THE<br />
20 OZ<br />
DRAFT<br />
Happy Hour: 4:00 - 5:00 pm<br />
Dinner: 6:00 - 10:00 pm<br />
Sunday Brunch: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm<br />
Located in the Meadow Village<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, Montana<br />
Call 406-993-7111 for more information<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
december 16, 2011 51<br />
T<br />
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Se<br />
Hippy H<br />
to impr<br />
brew in<br />
than th<br />
tributes<br />
acter to<br />
bottled<br />
the flav<br />
and evo<br />
balloon<br />
cific aro<br />
beer. En<br />
(well...p
Word from the reSortS<br />
big sky resort<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
By greer SChott<br />
big sky resort<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort has been opening more terrain as the<br />
season progresses, and the slopes are skiing great.<br />
<strong>Eve</strong>n without a lot of fresh powder, the resort has<br />
opened over 700 acres and the snow has stayed<br />
soft—just take a few turns in the Bowl and you’ll see<br />
for yourself.<br />
Come check out what’s new in the Mountain Village.<br />
The Solace Spa and Salon, a new 3,000 square<br />
foot spa with seven treatment rooms, men’s and<br />
ladies locker rooms, and full salon services including<br />
hair and nails, will open this weekend. Two new<br />
shops are open in the Village Center—CR.eations<br />
yarn shop and the Willow women’s boutique.<br />
<strong>New</strong> digital on-mountain signs now make it easier<br />
to navigate the mountain, and as more terrain opens<br />
skiers can check out five new gladed runs on Andesite.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort has also opened a new winter<br />
laser tag course—sign up for a game in basecamp.<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> is excited for the upcoming season with<br />
great holiday and winter events. Christmas and <strong>New</strong><br />
Years will be action-packed with food, live entertainment,<br />
and special events like fireworks and skiing<br />
with Santa. Check out bigskyresort.com/events<br />
for complete details as well as January events like<br />
SnoBar, an on-mountain party with a bar and dance<br />
floor completely made of snow.<br />
lone Mountain ranch<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Lone Mountain Ranch’s nordic trails, outdoor<br />
shop, sleigh rides and dining room opened in mid-<br />
December.<br />
<strong>New</strong> this year is a lower priced day trail pass at<br />
$18. Also, the ranch will offer a day sleigh ride<br />
with a bonfire, hot chocolate and cookies. Nordic<br />
ski lessons and wildlife tours into Yellowstone will<br />
also be available.<br />
The ranch’s new executive chef and food and<br />
beverage director, Bill Baskin, has returned to<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> with his wife after a 10 year hiatus. The<br />
dining room and saloon are open Monday through<br />
Saturday for lunch and dinner, and will be open for<br />
guests only on Christmas eve.<br />
Join the ranch for their Grand Christmas Buffet on<br />
Christmas day, featuring ice and cheese sculptures,<br />
edible gingerbread villages, a large selection of<br />
roasted meats, a seafood bar, and pastries. On <strong>New</strong><br />
Year’s <strong>Eve</strong> there will be two seatings in the dining<br />
room with four and five course menus, fireworks<br />
and live music.<br />
This year the saloon will serve food and feature<br />
live music three nights a week. It will also serve<br />
a different burger each month, daily small plate<br />
specials, and Montana beer and American spirits.<br />
They are part of Lone Peak Brewery’s communal<br />
beer program.<br />
Other special activities begin Jan. 1, including a<br />
Sunday brunch, Wednesday farm dinners with<br />
wine and brew pairings, and trail buffets on Fridays.<br />
Call the dining room for reservations (406)<br />
995–2782. a.D.<br />
52 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Moonlight basin<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
Moonlight Basin opened on Dec. 10 to sunny skies<br />
and smiling faces. Conditions remain the same: packed<br />
powder.<br />
“We need more snow before the upper mountain<br />
opens, but we’ve got people coming and enjoying the<br />
lower terrain,” said ski patrol dispatch. The upper<br />
mountain will open when snow levels permit.<br />
It’s worth checking out Moonlight’s new amenities,<br />
including the North Slope Deli, Jack Creek Grille and<br />
Bar, and the new Moonlight Mercantile in the Lodge.<br />
Also new is the "Freestyle Forest," a tight terrain park<br />
with fun features and whoop de doo’s made of natural<br />
features, and new gladed runs.<br />
Join Moonlight during the holidays for Turkey for a<br />
Ticket on Dec. 16, a Christmas <strong>Eve</strong> Service, and ski<br />
with Santa on Christmas day.<br />
It’s not too late to join the Gold Club, where members<br />
can enjoy locker storage and pool, hot tub and workout<br />
facility access. Members can also benefit from discounts<br />
at Moonlight eateries, gear shops, boutiques<br />
and accommodations. a.D<br />
Maverick Mountain<br />
Polaris<br />
Maverick set a record in 2010/2011, for their highest<br />
number of skiers with 9,599 visits. That’s not a lot,<br />
which means more powder for everyone.<br />
Summer crews removed more than 3,000 beetle killed<br />
trees from trail edges and along the lift line. Working<br />
with the Forest Service, they are developing a Vegetation<br />
Management Plan to project the desired future<br />
condition of the mountain. The plan will be a proactive,<br />
science-based approach to forest management.<br />
Maverick will increase ticket prices and season pass<br />
rates this year to keep pace with operating costs.<br />
“These are difficult decisions to balance the cost of<br />
services and maintain affordable skiing in our community,”<br />
wrote general manager and owner Randy<br />
Shilling in the fall newsletter.<br />
Mav’s voicemail says there’s at least 8-15 inches on the<br />
hill, and they’re waiting for more snow to open.<br />
discovery ski area<br />
Philipsburg<br />
Disco has been open weekends only, and opens Monday,<br />
Dec. 19 seven days a week.<br />
“We got lucky and picked up about a foot of snow in<br />
early December,” said Ciche Pitcher, who is the ski<br />
area’s vice president and resort operations manager.<br />
“We’re in the same boat as everyone else right now.<br />
While we’ve got some snow, we haven’t had anything<br />
new in a while.”<br />
The front side is open, and the weekend of Dec. 10 was<br />
the busiest so far this season. Pitcher estimates they<br />
need another 12-18 inches to open the backside, hopefully<br />
by Christmas day.<br />
Disco’s big news for the year: A new triple chairlift has<br />
replaced the old blue Jubilee lift. The new lift is faster,<br />
because they moved the bottom terminal up. e.s><br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
rendezvous ski trails<br />
West yellowstone<br />
After a big push during Thanksgiving week, Rendezvous<br />
nordic trails in West Yellowstone are cranking<br />
along at full swing. The early snow allowed<br />
Rendezvous to open all 35 kilometers of trails, including<br />
five kilometers of new trails and connectors<br />
that meander through the existing trail network.<br />
The Yellowstone Ski Festival over Thanksgiving had<br />
great turnout, said Dan Cantrell, the director of the<br />
Yellowstone Ski Festival and the West Yellowstone<br />
Ski Education Foundation. “In the past a good year<br />
has been about 3,000, and I think we met that or<br />
exceeded it this year.”<br />
This is going to be a busy year, with a lot of new<br />
stuff going on, Cantrell said.<br />
On the weekend of Dec. 10, they broke in a new<br />
biathalon course with a biathlon NORAM, bringing<br />
international athletes to town.<br />
The weekend of Dec. 17 hosts a SPAM cup with<br />
divisions for everyone, and a National Guard biathalon<br />
camp, and the brand new Kids n’ Snow program.<br />
Designed to promote active lifestyles, the program<br />
takes kids cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and<br />
ice skating. All are welcome.<br />
Head down to West with the skinny skis, because<br />
according to Cantrell, the trails are “skiing really,<br />
really well.” e.s.<br />
bridger bowl<br />
Bozeman<br />
By Jamie kuJaWa<br />
Bridger opened lower mountain terrain the weekend<br />
of Dec. 9, running its Snowflake and Powder Park<br />
lifts. With October storms the last two falls, Bozemanites<br />
have gotten accustomed to excellent early<br />
season conditions, but this year has been a slower<br />
start.<br />
This dry weather isn’t unusual, says Doug Wales,<br />
Bridger’s sales and marketing director. Wales started<br />
there in the early ‘80s, and he recalls the resort<br />
sometimes didn’t open until mid-January.<br />
<strong>Eve</strong>n so, Wales says, there were a “decent number of<br />
folks relative to what we have to offer [on opening<br />
weekend].” The vibe around the hill was optimistic:<br />
People smiled as they loaded the quad, passes were<br />
still being sold, and the reservations are up from last<br />
year at this time.<br />
Wales is also staying positive, and he encourages<br />
patience. Skiers could be unloading at the Bridger<br />
lift mid-station by next week, he says, as long as<br />
overnight temperatures remain low enough to blow<br />
snow.<br />
“Powder tends to erase bad memories,” Wales<br />
added, recounting how much things can change<br />
after one storm. But until it snows, early season<br />
conditions remain. Although hiking above the Powder<br />
Park lift is allowed while upper mountain lifts<br />
remain closed, it’s not recommended. Check with<br />
ski patrol for updates and advisories.
Word from the reSortS<br />
moonlight<br />
basin<br />
rail jam<br />
big sky town center<br />
dec. 2, 2011<br />
PhotoS By Brent day<br />
bridger bowl opening day<br />
pHotos by JaMie kuJaWa<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Jack creek grille takes the<br />
place of the former timbers<br />
new facilities owned and operated by<br />
moonlight Basin<br />
Moonlight Basin has<br />
three new dining options<br />
in the Moonlight<br />
Lodge, the North Slope<br />
Deli, Jack Creek Bar and<br />
the Jack Creek Grille.<br />
These facilities were<br />
formerly operated under<br />
the name Timbers.<br />
Now named after the iconic Jack<br />
Creek Road, a gated 10-mile dirt<br />
road that winds through a wilderness<br />
preserve and drainage west of<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>, the new restaurant will be<br />
genuine and friendly, with beautiful<br />
presentation and fine dining, according<br />
to Karen Lum, Moonlight’s<br />
marketing director.<br />
The new format allows a lower<br />
price point, said Greg Pack, General<br />
Manager at Moonlight.<br />
“We were trying to make sure that<br />
families could visit us a couple<br />
times during their stay and create<br />
an environment that locals would<br />
consider a regular spot,” Pack said.<br />
The menu is family friendly with<br />
as much local food as possible, said<br />
executive chef Eric Stenberg.<br />
“We’d like to call it American food.<br />
It’s grill style, with steaks, seafood,<br />
pasta, lasagna. It’s comfort food, in a<br />
sense.”<br />
The bartenders will strive to know<br />
your face and recognize you, if not<br />
know your name, Lum added.<br />
“They will know your favorite<br />
drink and mix special ones not<br />
found on the menu because... it’s<br />
fun and makes our guests feel<br />
special. You can count on value and<br />
high quality.” e.s.<br />
december 16, 2011 53
54 december 16, 2011 explorebigsky.com<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
eventS planning an eVent? let us know! email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.<br />
big sky<br />
Military appreciation Weekend<br />
big sky resort<br />
Dec. 17 – 18<br />
Jeff belino and 10 foot tall and<br />
80 proof liVe<br />
Choppers<br />
Dec. 17, 5 p.m<br />
season kick off party<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort<br />
Dec. 17<br />
open Mic nigHt<br />
Choppers<br />
<strong>Eve</strong>ry Tuesday<br />
buck's t-4 annual Holiday party<br />
Dec. 18, 6 p.m.<br />
bottoM of tHe barrel liVe<br />
Choppers<br />
Dec. 23, 9 p.m.<br />
cHristMas eVe actiVities<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort<br />
Dec. 24<br />
toM Marino liVe<br />
Choppers<br />
Dec. 24, 5 – 7 p.m.<br />
cHristMas eVe serVice &<br />
celebration<br />
Moonlight Basin<br />
Moonlight Lodge<br />
Dec. 24, 5 p.m.<br />
ski WitH santa<br />
Moonlight Basin<br />
Dec. 25<br />
JaiMe pierre faMily fundraiser<br />
Buck’s T-4<br />
Dec 26, 7 p.m.<br />
Call Doug Timm 581-0142<br />
faMily nigHt WitH MoonligHt<br />
Madison Village Base Area<br />
Dec. 29, 5 – 8 p.m.<br />
neW years eVe actiVities<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Resort<br />
Dec. 31<br />
Half Moon saloon 9tH annual<br />
neW year’s eVe celebration<br />
ft. the Codi Jordan Band<br />
Dec. 31, 9:30 p.m.<br />
neW years eVe basH<br />
Choppers<br />
Dec. 31, Starting at 5 p.m.<br />
bozeMan<br />
Holiday bazaar<br />
The Emerson<br />
Dec. 17, 10 a.m.<br />
bbbs gift Wrap bootH<br />
Gallatin Valley Mall<br />
M-S 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.<br />
Sun. 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.<br />
Christmas <strong>Eve</strong> 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.<br />
nutcracker in a nutsHell<br />
The Emerson<br />
Dec. 16 – 17<br />
cHristMas bird count<br />
Perkins Restaurant<br />
Dec. 17, 7 a.m.<br />
cHristMas tea<br />
Gallatin Gateway Inn<br />
Dec. 18, 2 p.m.<br />
cHristMas cookie decorating<br />
Leaf & Bean<br />
Dec. 18, 2 p.m.<br />
irVing berlin’s WHite cHristMas<br />
The Ellen Theater<br />
Sunday Matinees 3 p.m.<br />
All other shows 7:30 p.m.<br />
Thru Dec. 23<br />
torcHligHt parade, fireWorks<br />
display & spagHetti dinner<br />
Bridger Bowl<br />
Dec. 30, 4 p.m.<br />
neW year’s eVe dance<br />
The Emerson<br />
Dec. 31, 8 p.m.<br />
West<br />
yelloWstone<br />
cHristMas for tHe critters<br />
Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center<br />
Dec. 15 – 31<br />
sled dog races<br />
Rodeo Run 2011<br />
Dec. 15 – 17<br />
kids and snoW eVent<br />
Dec. 15 – 17<br />
Kidsnsnow.org to register<br />
s’Mores and More<br />
West Yellowstone Ice Rink<br />
Dec. 17, 6 – 9 p.m.<br />
spaM cub #1 classic race<br />
Rendezvous Ski Trails<br />
Dec. 17<br />
cHristMas bird count<br />
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center<br />
Dec. 18, 8:30 a.m.<br />
Winter snoWsHoe prograM<br />
U.S. Forest Service Hebgen Lake Ranger<br />
Station<br />
Dec. 29, 1 p.m.<br />
paradise Valley<br />
united blood driVe<br />
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church<br />
Call Bob 222-009<br />
splendid feast<br />
The Elling House<br />
Virginia City<br />
Dec. 16 - 17, 6:30 p.m.<br />
feliX naVi-Vaude, Holiday<br />
Variety act<br />
Crazy Mountain Productions<br />
Dec. 16 - 18<br />
Call for time 222-1420<br />
Honky tonk Heros<br />
Chico Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 16-17, 8 p.m.<br />
Holiday ligHts coMMittee preligHting<br />
party<br />
Civic Center<br />
Dec. 17, 6 p.m.\<br />
MoonligHt lodge neW year’s eVe party<br />
Dec. 31, 2011—Ring in 2012<br />
with Moonlight! The Moonlight<br />
Lodge <strong>New</strong> <strong>Year's</strong> <strong>Eve</strong> Party features<br />
dinner from Jack Creek Grille, live<br />
music, party favors and champagne<br />
as the ball drops.<br />
Dinner: 6 – 9 p.m.<br />
Music: 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.<br />
907 britt and ricHie reinHoldt<br />
(SiNgER/SoNgwRitER)<br />
Norris Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 17<br />
speakeasy sultry blues<br />
Pink Creek Café<br />
Dec. 17, 7 p.m.<br />
JoHn loWell (aMericana)<br />
Norris Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 18<br />
solstice celebration<br />
Rainbow Ark<br />
Dec. 22, 5 – 8 p.m.<br />
tHe dirty sHaMe<br />
Chico Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 23, 8 p.m.<br />
cost<br />
$120 per person includes party<br />
favors, champagne, music and<br />
dinner. $25 after 9 p.m. includes<br />
party favors, champagne and music.<br />
Reservations can be made with the<br />
Mountain Concierge. Max 150<br />
people.<br />
toM MurpHy (tHerMal grass)<br />
Norris Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 23<br />
coMMunity cHristMas dinner<br />
Civic Center<br />
Dec. 25, 12 – 2 p.m.<br />
KENt JoHNSoN (SiNgER/<br />
songWriter)<br />
Norris Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 30<br />
neW years basH<br />
ft. Archer’s Mob<br />
Pine Creek Café<br />
Dec. 31, 7 p.m.<br />
siX strings doWn<br />
Classic Rock & Blues<br />
Chico Hot Springs<br />
Dec. 30 - 31, 8 p.m.<br />
pierre family fundraiser set for dec. 26<br />
in the wake of Jamie Pierre’s untimely death, the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> community<br />
is coming together to support his family. the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chaplain’s<br />
association is working with the ski resorts and many individuals<br />
to host a fundraiser.<br />
“even though [the Pierres] are new to the community, i think<br />
Jamie had touched a bunch of people here,” said moonlight Basin’s<br />
general manager greg Pack. “our goal is to help out a local<br />
family in need.”<br />
Pack said everyone he’d spoken with was more than willing to be<br />
part of the fundraiser, asking how to help.<br />
amee (Jamie’s wife) wants to make sure the fundraiser is a celebration<br />
of Jamie’s life, Pack added.<br />
“She said Jamie would want it to be a lighthearted event. to<br />
celebrate the fun in life. he was fairly easy going, and would want<br />
people to celebrate that way.”<br />
Pack and professional skier Scot Schmidt will emcee the evening,<br />
which will include a "dine around" format with food from area<br />
restaurants. items will be auctioned off, and all proceeds will go to<br />
the Pierres.<br />
“the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Chaplains exist to communicate the good news of<br />
Jesus Christ and to help in tangible ways in critical times,” said<br />
doug timm, the Pierres’ pastor. “But we could not do it alone. the<br />
community has really helped.”<br />
Schmidt notes the mark Pierre left on the ski community as a<br />
whole, calling him a true inspiration:<br />
“although we moved in the same circles for many years, our<br />
paths only recently crossed,” he said. “getting to know Jamie was<br />
easy. his approach was bold, and his courage was infectious. his<br />
death has stirred our emotions, but it is his life that will inspire us<br />
forever.” e.s.<br />
details:<br />
dec. 26, 7 p.m. at Buck’s t-4 Lodge<br />
evening will include silent auction, food and cash bar.<br />
$10 donation<br />
to submit an auction item, contact doug timm at 581-0142, or<br />
drop items off at the Outlaw office in the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Meadow Village.
the cave<br />
Spirits & Gifts<br />
BIG SKY’S<br />
FULL SERVICE LIQUOR STORE<br />
UNIQUE MONTANA GIFTS<br />
Shirts<br />
Hats<br />
Books<br />
Jewelry<br />
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK • 406-995-4343<br />
Located in TOWN CENTER at the<br />
corner of HWY 64 and OUSEL FALLS ROAD<br />
MONTANA STATE<br />
LIQUOR STORE<br />
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!<br />
Located in the <strong>Big</strong> Horn Center, north of signal light, at corner<br />
of Hwy 191 & Lone Mtn Trail, across from Bugaboo Café<br />
The only Consignment Store in <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>!<br />
Your local, best store for the resale<br />
of quality, lightly used:<br />
• Home Furnishings / kitchen items & appliances<br />
• Furniture for all rooms / lamps, etc.<br />
• Artwork, wall hangings, décor items<br />
• Clothing (winter): women’s, men’s & children’s<br />
• Sports gear & sports clothing<br />
• Electronics + CDs, Videos & DVDs<br />
• Christmas & holiday decorations<br />
• and much, much more...<br />
Open: Tues – Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.<br />
Sun, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Closed on Mondays<br />
Call: Janine & Dick @ 406-993-9333<br />
Tickets<br />
$15<br />
Saloon Doors open 9:30 p.m.<br />
Party favors, champagne toast,<br />
fire spinner and bonfire<br />
with opening band Junior Giant<br />
The CJB is an energetic and fun Reggae Rock outfit from Salt<br />
Lake City, Utah. If you are a fan of artists like Sublime, Slightly<br />
Stoopid and Passafire, the Codi Jordan Band will blow you away.<br />
CJB has played the Mandalay in Las Vegas and Sundance Film<br />
Festival.<br />
<strong>New</strong> Year’s <strong>Eve</strong> Dinner 6-9 p.m.<br />
available in the dining room with reservation<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Located on the banks of the<br />
Gallatin River on Hwy 191<br />
Shuttles at 12:30 and 1:30 a.m.<br />
More information & advance<br />
tickets 1-406-995-2928 or<br />
1-406-993-9666<br />
december 16, 2011 55
fun<br />
Letters to Santa<br />
from letters written by local children at the big sky christmas stroll<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
Hi my name is Kimderly.<br />
I am wondering about<br />
the reindeer. has eny<br />
presents? You need a<br />
break.<br />
Love, Kimderly<br />
56 december 16, 2011<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
I love you! I want<br />
you to travel safe<br />
with the reindeer.<br />
Merry Xmas<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
I have been pretty good<br />
this year I would love the<br />
etable good-tasting glow<br />
in the dark recipie but it<br />
is your choice<br />
Sincerely, Michael<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
Hi my name i Kimderly.<br />
I am wondering adout<br />
the reindeer? has enay<br />
presents? You need a<br />
brake. Love, Kimderly<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
May I have a real puppy<br />
from Madison<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
nerf gun, snowmobile,<br />
reindeer - I want it<br />
to be a surprise<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
Hi! may I please have<br />
some American Girl Doll<br />
clothes? I hope the<br />
reindeer are good.<br />
Love, Nehalem<br />
Dear Santa,<br />
I like presents.<br />
Cody<br />
I lovewuoy<br />
outlaws became elves at <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong>'s Christmas Stroll - Chris davis and<br />
taylor anderson with Santa